;  330, 977394$ 
iC736p          n 


ITS  DEVELOPMENT 


UNIVERSITY  OF 

SS 

.  SURVEY 


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1912 
Tke  Prospects  of 

Franklin    County 


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inois 


Opportunity 

Opportunity  is  rare,  and  a  wise  man  will 
never  let  it  go  by  him — Bayard  Taylor. 


Franklin   County 

Illinois 

Snows  tne   Greatest  Development 
in  tke  State   in  MVealtn,  Pop- 
ulation and  Improvement 


EXAMINE   THESE    STATISTICS 

THE   POPULATION   in   1905   of   Franklin    County's 
principal  towns  was   as  follows:     Ben  ton — 1860; 
Christopher— 300;  West  Frankfort— 100;  Sesser— 
100;  Hanaford— 20;  or  a  total  of  2380. 

THE  POPULATION  in  1912  of  the  principal   towns   of 
Franklin  County  was  as  follows: 

Benton— 5100;   Christopher— 3500 ;   West  Frankfort— 
3500;  Sesser— 2200;  Hanaford— 1000;  or  a  total  of  15,300. 


A  STREET  SCENE  IN  BENTON  TODAY 


THE  ASSESSED  VALUATION  of  Franklin  County  for  the 
year  1900  was  $6,753,380.00. 

THE  ASSESSED  VALUATION  of  Franklin  County  for  the 
year  1912  will  approximate  $21,250,000.00. 

THE  TOTAL  WAGE  SCALE  of  Franklin  County  in  the  year 
of  1905  did  not  exceed  $250,000.00. 

THE  TOTAL  WAGE  SCALE  of  Franklin  County  in  the  year 
of  1912  will  exceed  $4,000,000.00. 

THE  BANK  ASSETS  of  Franklin  County  in  the  year  of 
1900  were  approximately  $140,000.00. 

THE  BANK  ASSETS  of  Franklin  County  in  the  year  of 
1912  exceeded  $1,850,000.00. 


;  30- "i 


PROSPECTS  OF  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


LOCATION,  TRANSPORTATION,  RESOURCES 
AND  CLIMATE 

FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS,  is  situated  in  the  south 
central  part  of  the  State,  300  miles  south  of  Chicago  and 
90  miles  east  of  St.  Louis. 

THE  PRINCIPAL  CENTERS  of  population  of  the  county 
lie  to  the  east,  west,  north  and  south,  all  within  easy 
access  and  reached  by  several  trunk  lines  of  railway. 
Its  location  is  central  and  situated  so  as  to  command  the 
best  markets  for  its  products. 


OLD  TAVERN  JOHN     A.     LOGAN'S     OLD    HOME 

A    STREET    SCENE    IN    OLD-TIME   BENTON 

RAILROADS — Four  of  the  world's  greatest  railway 
systems  intersect  this  County,  the  Illinois  Central;  the 
Frisco;  the  Burlington  and  the  Missouri  Pacific;  two  other 
great  systems,  the  Rock  Island  and  the  Big  Four,  are 
extending  their  lines  into  this  section. 

FRANKLIN  COUNTY  is  noted  for  the  immense  deposits 
and  superior  quality  of  its  coal,  which  at  the  present  time 
is  perhaps  its  greatest  asset. 

THE  CLIMATE  Is  IDEAL.  The  winters  are  short  and  the 
spring  and  autumn  seasons  extend  far  into  the  winter 
and  summer  months. 


PROSPECTS  OF 


THE  CITIES  AND  TOWNS  OF  FRANKLIN  COUNTY 

A  wonderful  advancement  in  population  and  wealth 
in  the  past  ten  years  has  taken  place  in  the  urban  popu- 
lation of  this  County. 

BENTON,  the  County  seat,  is  a  city  of  5000  people.  The 
City  has  three  railroads,  the  Illinois  Central,  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  and  Missouri  Pacific.  Two  new  lines  are 
also  projected.  It  has  paved  streets,  an  electric  lighting 
plant,  a  water  system,  an  opera  house,  hotels,  modern 
schools,  churches,  etc.  Two  large  coal  companies  operate 
here  and  five  more  are  planned  for  the  near  future. 
Benton  has  a  Commercial  Club  and  an  intelligent  and 
prosperous  people. 

CHRISTOPHER  is  a  thriving  City  of  3500  people,  lying 
in  the  west  part  of  the  County.  It  has  two  important 
railroads,  the  Illinois  Central  and  the  Chicago,  Burling- 
ton &  Quincy.  In  1905  the  population  did  not  exceed 
300.  There  are  three  operating  mines  and  two  more  are 
planned.  The  City  has  electric  lights,  miles  of  granitoid 
walks,  a  magnificent  new  opera  house,  and  its  people 
confidently  expect  a  population  of  10,000  within  the  next 
ten  years. 

WEST  FRANKFORT  has  one  of  the  most  beautiful  loca- 
tions in  Southern  Illinois.  It  boasts  of  a  population  of 
3500  and  has  grown  from  a  village  of  100  people  in  seven 
years.  Here  are  located  four  important  mines  and  three 
more  projected.  It  is  a  division  point  for  the  Chicago 
&  Eastern  Illinois  Railway,  the  company  having  round- 
houses at  this  place.  West  Frankfort  is  steadily  grow- 
ing in  population  and  commercial  importance. 

SESSER  is  one  of  the  progressive  towns  of  the  County, 
situated  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railway. 
It  has  a  population  of  2200,  all  secured  during  the  past 
six  years.  There  is  located  here  the  large  plant  of  the 
Sesser  Coal  Company.  There  are  other  mines  projected 
and  Sesser  is  advancing  rapidly. 

HANAFORD,  was  not  on  the  map  three  years  ago.  It 
now  has  1000  inhabitants  and  is  rapidly  growing.  It  has 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  and  two  more  have  been  sur- 
veyed. The  Carroll  and  Franklin  Counties  Coal  Company 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


now  employ  150  men  and  will  employ  500  men  when  the 
mine  is  fully  equipped.  Five  other  Coal  Companies  own 
valuable  holdings  here.  Hanaford  has  two  banks,  and  is 
an  important  shipping  point  for  poultry  products. 

THOMPSONVILLE  is  situated  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railway.  Adjacent  to  the  town  are  valuable  coal  de- 
posits and  a  company  has  been  formed  to  develop  the 
coal.  The  population  is  about  800  and  it  is  perhaps  the 
most  important  shipping  point  for  poultry  products  in 
Southern  Illinois. 

EWING  is  a  college  town.  The  Ewing  College  is  lo- 
cated here  and  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  successful  in 
the  State.  Many  eminent  men  have  graduated  here  and 
the  college  was  never  in  a  more  prosperous  condition. 
Its  railway  station  is  known  as  Whittington. 

ZEIGLER  has  a  population  of  1000.  Zeigler  is  import- 
ant as  a  coal  producing  community.  Here  was  the  first 
real  development  of  the  valuable  coal  field  of  Franklin 
County.  Joseph  Leiter  controls  8000  acres  of  valuable 
holdings  and  one  of  the  largest  plants  anywhere  in  opera- 
tion, the  initial  cost  being  more  than  $1,000,000.00.  Zeigler 
is  situated  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  and  Illi- 
nois Central  Railways.  The  mine  is  operated  by  the 
Bell  and  Zoller  Mining  Co.,  of  Chicago. 

ROYALTON  is  an  important  coal  producing  town  situ- 
ated on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railways.  The 
town  was  named  after  William  J.  Royal.  There  is  a 
large  and  modern  plant  here  known  as  the  Royalton  Coal 
Company.  The  quality  of  the  coal  is  of  the  highest  and 
the  company  is  most  prosperous.  The  population  is  800. 
It  has  a  bank,  good  stores  and  an  enterprising  people. 

AKIN  is  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  Franklin 
County.  It  is  an  important  trading  point,  having  large 
stores  and  two  State  Banks,  the  Bank  of  Akin  and  the 
Farmers'  Exchange  Bank. 

MACEDONIA  is  in  the  extreme  eastern  part  of  the  County 
and  is  surrounded  by  a  well-to-do  farming  community. 
It  has  good  stores  and  two  banks,  the  Bank  of  Macedonia 
and  the  People's  Bank. 

WHITTINGTON  is  an  important  trading  point  on  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railway  in  the  northern  part 


6  PROSPECTS  OF 


of  the  County.  It  has  valuable  deposits  of  coal  in  the 
vicinity  not  yet  developed. 

MULKEYTOWN  lies  in  the  western  part  of  the  County 
on  the  Illinois  Central.  There  are  several  prosperous 
stores  here  as  it  is  surrounded  by  a  good  farming  com- 
munity. 

PARRISH  is  about  seven  miles  east  of  Benton  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railway.  It  has  valuable  deposits  of 
coal  and  is  surrounded  by  excellent  farming  land. 

BUCKNER  lies  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railway  four 
miles  west  of  Benton.  It  was  entirely  vacant  one  year 
ago.  The  town  now  claims  600  population  and  is  rapidly 
growing.  Here  is  the  plant  of  the  United  Coal  Mining 
Company,  the  largest  perhaps  in  the  country,  with  a 
capacity  of  4000  tons  per  day  of  eight  hours.  The  grade 
of  coal  is  of  the  best. 

REND  CITY  is  one  of  the  important  coal  producing 
points  in  the  County.  It  is  reached  by  the  Chicago,  Bur- 
lington &  Quincy  Railway.  Col.  W.  P.  Rend  was  the 
founder  of  this  town.  The  Rend  mine  is  thoroughly 
modern  and  the  coal  ranks  with  the  very  best.  The 
comfort  and  well  being  of  the  employees  of  the  coal  com- 
pany is  of  particular  interest. 

FREEMAN  lies  in  the  extreme  southern  part  of  Frank- 
lin County.  The  population  is  about  500.  The  Possum 
Ridge  mine,  the  property  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Coal 
and  Coke  Co.,  is  located  here.  This  company  employs 
300  men.  This  number  will  be  materially  increased  as 
this  valuable  property  is  developed.  Freeman  has  sev- 
eral good  stores  and  the  schools  are  excellent. 


The  prosperity  of  a  people  is  proportionate  to  the  num- 
ber of  hands  and  minds  usefully  employed. — Johnson. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


AGRICULTURE—  MANUFACTURES 
-LABOR— CAPITAL 

THE  AGRICULTURAL  VALUE  of  the  lands  of  Franklin 
County  is  enormous.  The  percentage  of  arable 
land  is  practically  the  same  as  in  the  most-favored 
sections  of  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Indiana.  The  land  will  pro- 
duce corn,  wheat  and  other  products  as  profitably  as  in 
any  of  the  above  states.  The  principal  agricultural  pro- 
ducts that  are  particularly  adapted  for  profit  in  Franklin 
County  on  account  of  climate,  soil  and  market  conditions 
are:  Vegetables,  Fruit  and  Poultry. 

The  soil  and  climate  make  possible  the  growth  of  vege- 
tables with  much  greater  success  than  on  land  farther 
north.  The  land,  being  more  than  usually  responsive  to 
fertilizers,  is  known  as  "Quick  soil"  by  agricultural  au- 
thorities. The  value  of  our  soil  can  be  attested  by  the 
fact  that  the  State  of  Illinois  has  provided  us  with  one 
of  their  best  experimental  farms. 

The  growing  seasons  are  long  in  this  latitude,  in  many 
instances  being  sufficiently  long  to  produce  from  two  to 
four  crops  in  one  season,  which  is  a  very  desirable  factor 
in  the  growth  of  tomatoes,  cabbage,  potatoes,  sweet  pota- 
toes, beans,  pumpkins,  etc.  The  quality  and  flavor  of 
the  vegetables  are  excellent.  In  this  latitude  can  be 
raised  favorably  most  of  the  products  used  by  the  great 
canning  industries. 

The  same  advantages  of  soil  and  climate  that  assist 
in  the  profitable  growth  of  vegetables  in  this  section  also 
apply  to  fruits  of  all  kinds,  which  grow  with  the  utmost 
profusion  with  little  care.  The  smaller  fruits  are  partic- 
ularly remunerative,  such  as  strawberries,  raspberries, 
cherries,  peaches,  etc. 

THE  POULTRY  BUSINESS  of  the  section  is  an  important 
industry  and  there  is  a  reason  for  this.  The  climate  is 
not  so  severe  as  farther  north.  Chickens  may  range 
practically  all  the  year.  Yet  there  is  enough  sharp,  freez- 
ing weather  to  energize  poultry  and  -to  kill  parasites  that 


8  PROSPECTS  OF 


plague  the  poultry  raisers  in  more  southern  localities. 
The  markets,  too,  are  convenient.  These  conditions  have 
caused  the  industry  to  grow  to  enormous  proportions; 
the  shipments  of  poultry  products  from  this  locality  being 
in  the  neighborhood  of  8,000,000  pounds  annually.  To 
cite  one  specific  instance,  the  manager  of  the  "Dairy  Ship- 
pers' Dispatch,"  the  dairy  product  shipping  department 
of  the  Lackawanna  Railroad  Company,  who  operates  re- 
frigerator cars  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  division 
between  Eldorado  and  DuQuoin,  estimates  that  1,000,000 
pounds  of  poultry  products  are  shipped  annually  to  the 
East  from  this  section  by  his  line  only. 

LOCAL  MARKETS  are  equally  as  important  as  our  foreign 
market  to  the  producer  in  this  section  on  account  of  a 
very  large  percentage  of  the  population  being  wage 
earners.  We  have  here  a  great  home  market  that  very 
often  nets  the  producer  a  price  equal  to  and  sometimes 
greater  than  the  price  at  the  principal  markets  in  the 
larger  cities,  and  there  is  a  consequent  saving  of  freight 
and  middlemen's  profits. 

THE  WAGE  EARNER  in  Franklin  County  has  a  great  ad- 
vantage over  employees  in  most  sections  of  the  state. 
Mine  employment  is  particularly  well  paid.  There  is 
never  a  time  during  the  ordinary  producing  seasons  when 
the  supply  is  anywhere  near  the  demand  for  men  in  the 
mines  and  at  wages  that  are  particularly  attractive  when 
compared  to  that  in  other  sections.  The  work  is  not  ex- 
pert in  the  same  sense  that  the  term  applies  in  other 
trades,  yet  it  is  not  uncommon  for  the  miner  to  receive 
from  $30.00  to  $45.00  per  week  of  six  days  of  eight  hours 
labor  per  day.  The  large  demand  for  labor  in  the  coal 
industry  influences  the  wage  scale  in  all  other  employ- 
ments. Carpenters,  masons,  teamsters,  skilled  labor, 
clerks  and  workers  in  other  occupations  receive  more 
for  their  services  than  in  most  localities. 

CONTRACTORS  OF  ALL  CLASSES  are  welcomed  to  Franklin 
County.  Nowhere  is  there  a  greater  demand  for  builders. 
Extensive  plans  for  building  in  every  community  in  this 
county  which  are  now  ready  to  be  carried  out,  will  re- 
quire a  much  larger  complement  of  men  in  the  building 
trades  than  we  have  lnow. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  9 

MANUFACTURERS  ARE  ESPECIALLY  invited  to  visit  Frank- 
lin County  and  its  principal  cities.  The  business  men  are 
alive  to  the  many  advantages  of  this  section  and  will  as- 
sist financially  and  otherwise  any  meritorious  manufac- 
turing enterprise.  The  Benton  Commercial  Club  of  Ben- 
ton,  Franklin  County,  Illinois,  will  be  glad  to  answer 
inquiries  from  persons  interested  in  reference  to  any 
proposition  in  connection  with  the  location  of  factory 
plants.  We  believe  there  is  no  section  that  is  more  at- 
tractive for  the  successful  operation  of  manufacturing 
industries  than  Franklin  County.  We  have  an  abundance 
of  cheap  fuel  and  a  central  location  in  the  midst  of  a  great 
and  growing  section,  and  at  our  doors  there  is  an  empire 
to  the  west  and  south  of  us  which  is  now  developing,  as 
if  by  magic,  into  one  of  the  richest  sections  of  the  globe. 

To  THE  CAPITALIST:  Where  can  you  find  greater  pros- 
pect of  profit  than  where  the  vast  natural  and  undevel- 
oped wealth  of  Franklin  County  invites  you;  where  prop- 
erty is  rapidly  advancing — yet  is  held  at  much  less 
valuation  than  in  older  and  more  developed  sections 
which  have  not  any  more  advantages  that  make  for  per- 
manent values. 

Refer  your  thoughts  to  accounts  of  the  wild  and  dan- 
gerous rushes  to  secure  advantages  in  Oklahoma — to  the 
uncalled-for  exposure  of  life  and  limb,  striving  to  secure 
wealth  in  the  gold  fields  of  the  West,  and  the  extreme 
suffering  and  danger  to  reach  uncertain  opportunities  in 
far-away  Alaska.  If  you  can  call  to  mind  any  wonderful 
achievements  or  successes  attending  such  hardships, 
claims  so  wonderful,  extraordinary  opportunities,  golden 
Eldorados,  etc.,  we  will  prove  that  we  have  greater  wealth, 
more  wonderful  prosperity  and  grander  opportunities 
right  in  the  heart  of  civilization  free  from  the  wild  and 
weird  hardships  attendant  thereto.  Where  in  the  history 
of  prosperity  will  you  find  towns  laid  out  in  an  open  field 
making  metropolitan  cities  from  2,000  to  6,000  population 
in  one  to  five  years?  On  such  proof  we  challenge  the 
world  to  equal  our  wealth  and  opportunities. 

Occupation  is  the  necessary  basis  of  all  enjoyment. — Leigh  Hunt. 


10  PROSPECTS  OF 


FRANKLIN   COUNTY,   ILLINOIS 

PIONEERS  AND  PIONEER  DAYS 

THE  first  settlement  of  Franklin  County  dates  back 
to  1804,  when  John  and  William  Browning,  Joseph 
Estes,  three  brothers  named  Jordan,  and  William 
Barbrey  took  up  their  abode  and  built  a  "fort"  two  miles 
southeast  of  Thompsonville  on  the  farm  occupied  in  later 
years  by  William  Elstun.  The  "fort"  was  necessary.  The 
Indians  were  hostile  and  had  but  recently  emerged  from  a 
bloody  tribal  war.  This  war  culminated  in  a  great  battle 
in  1802  between  the  Kaskaskias  and  Shawnees,  in  which 
the  Kaskaskias  were  all  exterminated.  The  battle  was 
fought  in  Town  Mount  Prairie  on  the  farm  known  as  the 
"Hezekiah  Swofford"  farm.  Even  now  the  outlines  of 
the  crude  defenses  thrown  up  by  the  red  men  are  still 
recognizable.  The  fort  was  occupied  until  1812,  and  at 
intervals  until  1817.  In  1812,  while  out  gathering  wood, 
Barbrey  was  ambushed  and  killed  by  Indians.  He  was 
the  first  white  person  buried  in  Franklin  County,  and  his 
grave  is  still  to  be  seen  on  the  site  of  the  old  fort. 

The  dwellings  were  log  cabins.  The  floors  were  of 
puncheon,  the  roofs  of  clap-boards,  with  a  stick  and  mud 
chimney  at  the  ends  of  the  cabins.  The  settlers'  "forked 
deer"  bedsteads  were  constructed  in  the  corner  of  the 
room  by  the  use  of  one  post,  the  house  logs  supporting 
the  other  corners  of  the  frame.  In  two-story  cabins  the 
upper  floor  was  reached  by  a  ladder.  Before  the  days 
of  mills,  "mortars"  were  made  by  burning  out  the  cen- 
ters of  hardwood  stumps;  the  charred  parts  were  removed 
and  the  corn  was  pounded  into  meal  in  these  mortars. 
All  the  food  was  cooked  in  skillets;  the  women  wore  skirts 
of  home-made  "linsey."  They  grew  their  own  flax,  spun, 
and  wove  it.  Their  crude  harness  was  made  of  hickory 
bark,  save  the  back-bands,  which  were  of  buckskin.  They 
had  no  china  or  crockery,  and  their  food  was  usually 
served  on  boards,  but  sometimes  on  pewter  plates.  The 
first  horse  mill  was  built  by  Thomas  Jordan  in  1812.  John 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  11 

Crawford  built  one  a  few*  years  later  in  Crawford's  Prai- 
rie, and  William  Frizell  built  one  in  Frizell's  Prairie  about 
1822.  John  Browning  built  one  on  Browning  Hill  in  1824. 
Lewis  Hillin  constructed  a  water  mill  at  Hillin's  Ford  in 
1832,  the  foundations  of  which  are  still  to  be  seen.  The 
first  steam  mill  was  built  on  Pope's  Prairie  by  Benjamin 
Pope  in  1854.  The  following  year  Kirkpatrick  built  one 
at  old  Mulkeytown,  and  Levi  Browning  built  the  old 
Benton  mill  in  the  same  year.  The  first  bridge  in  the 
County  was  constructed  in  1838  over  the  Big  Muddy  River 
on  the  St.  Louis  and  Frankfort  road.  "Bull  tongue"  plows 
were  first  brought  here  in  1829  by  Lewis  Clampit.  "Ca- 
rey" plows  were  introduced  in  1843. 

These  early  men  were  strong  of  limb,  stout  of  heart 
and  firm  of  purpose.  Their  environment  necessarily 
made  them  intense  and  rugged  in  all  things.  On  the 
other  hand  their  faith  in  the  Divinity  and  His  promises 
was  absolute. 

Society  had  not  yet  become  intoxicated  with  the 
spirit  of  commercialism.  The  ambition  of  these  men 
was  to  Be  rather  than  to  Have.  They  were  not  distraught 
with  strange  delusion  which  leads  us  to  be  proud  of  what 
we  have,  whereas  in  fact  we  have  only  borrowed  from 
the  common  store.  They  would  not  forego  the  finer, 
higher,  ennobling  pleasure  of  whispering  hope  to  the 
faint  and  discouraged,  or  of  extending  the  hand  of  help 
to  a  fallen  brother,  for  the  fawning  and  cheap  applause 
the  frivolous  accord  the  heaper  of  gold. 

The  pioneer  women  were  the  counterparts  of  these 
stalwart  men.  In  storms  they  were  oaks,  in  sunshine 
flowers.  They  loved  the  birds  and  their  songs,  but  did 
not  envy  them  their  plumage.  They  could  enjoy  a  land- 
scape without  owning  the  land.  Fads,  frills  and  foibles 
did  not  interest,  much  less  enthrall,  them.  They  preferred 
that  their  souls  should  be  beautiful,  rather  than  their 
bodies.  Their  supreme  interest  was  in  their  homes,  and 
their  highest  happiness  was  in  motherhood.  The  child- 
less wife  was  an  object  of  pity  or  contempt.  Divorces 
were  unknown.  Employment,  the  infallible  antidote  for 
incompatibility  and  domestic  ennui,  was  always  present. 
The  night  was  never  dark  enough  or  starless  enough, 


12  PROSPECTS  OF 


the  storm  was  never  wild  enough  or  fierce  enough,  the 
lurid  arrows  of  ill-fortune  never  flew  thick  enough,  or 
fast  enough,  to  drive  these  women  from  their  husbands' 
sides.  Joy,  peace,  contentment  and  affection  encom- 
passed and  enveloped  their  homes. 

To  be  the  descendants  of  such  progenitors  is  a  price- 
less heritage.     Let  us  emulate  their  virtues  and  revere 
their  memories.     To  paraphrase  Coleridge: 
"Their  bones  are  dust 
Their  guns  are  rust 
Their  souls  are  with  the  Saints,  we  trust." 

POLITICAL 

Franklin  County  was  born  January  2,  1818.  N.  Davis, 
of  Jackson  County,  was  its  father  and  S.  F.  Gard,  of 
Ewards  County,  was  its  godfather.  Friday,  December 
19,  1817,  the  former  offered  in  the  Territorial  House  of 
Representatives,  at  Kaskaskia,  a  petition  and  measure 
providing  for  its  creation  and  the  latter,  December  21, 
1817,  reported  back  the  measure  and  suggested  the  name 
Franklin. 

From  1790  to  1795  the  present  area  of  Franklin 
County  was  a  part  of  St.  Clair  County.  From  1795  to 
1815  it  belonged  to  Randolph  County  and  from  1815  to 
January  2,  1818,  to  White  County.  As  originally  formed 
its  area  was  870  square  miles.  Williamson  County  was 
detached,  however,  February  28,  1839,  leaving  Franklin 
with  430  square  miles  of  territory. 

It  became  a  political  unit  before  Illinois  was  organ- 
ized as  a  state.  From  1818  until  1821  the  county  seat 
was  at  the  home  of  Moses  Garrett.  February  1, 1821,  the 
General  Assembly  created  a  commission,  composed  of 
Conrad  Will,  Isaac  Casey,  Samuel  Umelvaney,  James 
Kirkpatrick  and  George  R.  Logan  to  establish  a  perma- 
nent "seat  of  justice."  This  commission  selected  Frank- 
fort Hill  on  the  farm  of  Moses  Garrett.  Garrett  donated 
the  site  and  Lemuel  Harrison  surveyed  it. 

The  selection  indicates  that  these  men  had  acute  pre- 
ception  and  appreciation  of  the  beautiful  and  pictur- 
esque, for  Omnipotence  never  created  a  more  enchanting 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  13 

spot  than  "Old  Frankfort  Hill."  Standing  upon  its  crest 
and  looking  northward,  the  eye  feasts  upon  an  undu- 
lating forest  of  birch  and  maple  and  oak  and  silver 
poplar.  Threading  its  way  through  this  forest  is  the 
Ewing  Brook,  fringed  with  moss  and  ferns.  To  the  south, 
east  and  west,  stretching  away  to  the  horizon,  are  rolling 
prairies,  flecked  ever  and  anon  with  herds  of  grazing 
cattle,  inviting  homes  and  clusters  of  trees.  In  the  spring 
and  summer  the  atmosphere  is  redolent  with  perfume 
of  wild  flowers,  ripening  grain  and  new-mown  hay.  It 
is  a  spot  of  matchless  beauty  and  sweetness.  Old  Frank- 
fort today  is  a  relic,  but  the  riches  which  Nature  showered 
with  a  prodigal  hand  are  still  there. 

In  1839,  after  the  separation  of  Williamson  and  Frank- 
lin counties,  the  General  Assembly  appointed  Noah  John- 
son, of  Jefferson  County,  John  Reid,  of  Perry  County, 
and  Milton  Carpenter,  of  Hamilton  County,  a  commis- 
sion to  select  a  new  county  seat.  This  commission  as- 
sembled at  the  home  of  Abraham  Rea,  and  chose  the 
present  location  of  Benton.  The  town  site  was  donated 
by  John  Ewing  and  Walter  S.  Akin  and  embraced  twenty 
acres.  It  was  surveyed  by  Elijah  Webb.  Benton  became 
the  county  seat  in  fact  on  March  1,  1841.  A  small  build- 
ing was  erected  for  courthouse  purposes  in  1841,  which 
structure  was  consumed  by  fire  November  11,  1843.  An 
unpretentious  frame  building  which  stood  on  the  south 
end  of  the  lot  now  occupied  by  the  A.  D.  Jackson  Sad- 
dlery Company  was  then  utilized  for  county  purposes 
until  1845.  The  next  court  house,  the  immediate  prede- 
cessor of  the  present  one,  was  a  brick  structure,  located 
in  the  Public  Square  and  cost  $3,000.  Jarvis  Pearcc 
erected  it  in  1845.  The  present  court  house  was  built  by 
John  J.  St.  Clair  in  1875,  at  a  cost  of  $27,500. 

PATRIOTIC 

Franklin  County  has  furnished  soldiers  in  all  the  wars 
of  the  Republic.  In  1812  four  of  its  pioneers  went  to 
New  Orleans  with  their  squirrel  rifles  to  help  Andrew 
Jackson  whip  Packingham. 

With  a  population  of  4083  the  County  furnished  three 
full  companies  for  the  Black  Hawk  War  of  1832.  In  1846 


14  PROSPECTS  OF 


three  hundred  men  volunteered  for  the  Mexican  War, 
but  only  one  Company  could  be  accepted.  In  1860  the 
population  of  Franklin  County  was  9393,  and  the  Presi- 
dential vote  of  that  year  was  as  follows :  Douglas,  1391 ; 
Lincoln,  228;  Breckenridge,  75;  Bell,  5;  yet  the  County 
furnished  more  than  1600  soldiers  and  sailors  for  the 
Federal  armies  and  navies  during  the  Civil  War.  Five 
hundred  of  these  men  died  on  the  fields  of  glory.  A 
soldier  from  every  family,  the  equivalent  of  every  voter, 
in  arms  for  the  flag.  A  dead  hero  in  a  third  of  the  homes. 
Sublime  spectacle!  Such  an  exhibition  of  sacrifice  and 
patriotism  is  almost  without  parallel. 


WEST    FRANKFORT    HIGH    SCHOOL 


Company  F  9th  Illinois  Volunteers  which  served 
through  the  Spanish-American  War  of  1898-1899  was 
composed  entirely  of  Franklin  County  men.  A  second 
company  was  enrolled  by  Captain  E.  Dillon  and  was 
assigned  to  the  Press  Club  Regiment  of  Chicago,  but  was 
never  called  to  active  service. 

Is  it  not  a  glorious  record?  The  ties  of  friendship, 
family  and  fireside  have  weighed  little  with  these  people 
in  the  hour  of  their  country's  need.  Love  of  country 
is  only  second  to  love  of  God  and  Heaven.  Decoration 
Day,  and  the  Fourth  of  July  are  always  observed  appro- 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


15 


priately,  reverently.  All  business  is  suspended  on  these 
anniversaries  and  the  days  are  given  over  to  patriotic 
deeds  and  services. 

EDUCATION 

In  1862  there  came  to  Franklin  County,  John  Wash- 
burn,  an  itinerant  Baptist  clergyman.     Washburn   pos- 


BENTON     HIGH    SCHOOL 
ILLINOIS    MINE    RESCUE    STATION 

sessed  a  finished  education  and  many  other  accomplish- 
ments. He  was  as  sweet  and  lovable  in  disposition  and 
character  as  he  was  eccentric  in  manners  and  dress. 

In  1867  he  located  at  Ewing,  Franklin  County,  founded 
Ewing  College  and  through  long  years  of  unselfish  and 
unremitting  labor  impressed  his  personality  upon  the 
institution. 


16 


PKOSPECTS  OF 


From  the  earliest  times  education  has  been  given 
the  closest  thought  and  attention.  Sion  Mitchell  taught 
the  first  school  in  Cave  Township  in  1824.  Jennings  fol- 
lowed with  a  school  at  Old  Mulkeytown  in  1830.  In  1841 
the  General  Assembly  provided  for  a  Public  School  sys- 
tem and  Franklin  County  immediately  availed  itself  of 


CHRISTOPHER    TOWN    HA  LI, 
CHRISTOPHER   DISTRICT    SCHOOL 

the  statute.  The  County  has  ever  since  kept  abreast  of 
the  most  advanced  ideas  and  methods,  and  today  Illi- 
nois has  no  superior  system,  better  facilities,  or  a  more 
competent,  enlightened  and  progressive  phalanx  of 
teachers.  Money  is  provided  unstintingly,  and  any 
proposition  looking  to  improvement  is  accepted  with 
alacrity.  There  are  one  hundred  teachers  at  present 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


17 


and   the   expenditures   for   Public   School  purposes   this 
year  aggregate  -$114,641.90. 

RELIGIOUS 

The  religious  denominations  have  the  following  num- 
ber of  churches  in  Franklin  County: 

Baptist,  33;  Methodist  Episcopal,  15;  Christian,  10; 
Primitive  Baptist,  3;  Congregational,  1;  Catholic,  2;  Ger- 
man Lutheran,  1. 


r.KXTOX     CHURCHES 

The  first  Baptist  church  was  organized  on  Browning 
Hill,  in  1829,  and  was  called  Mount  Pleasant.  It  is  still 
in  existence.  The  first  Methodist  Episcopal  church  was 
organized  in  1822  in  Eastern  Township,  at  Mount  Etna 
by  Beverend  Hancock,  a  Revolutionary  soldier.  The  first 
Christian  church  was  organized  at  the  home  of  John 
Kirkpatrick,  in  Tyrone  Township,  about  1823,  by  John 
and  Phillip  Mulkey.  It  was  called  a  Baptist  church  for 
years,  and  it  is  not  known  when  the  name  was  changed. 
This  is  the  oldest  Christian  church  in  Illinois. 


18 


PROSPECTS  OF 


A  spirit  of  amity  exists,  and  all  denominations  fra- 
ternize and  co-operate  in  every  movement  which  makes 
for  the  common  weal.  All  exemplify  the  spirit  of  the 
Nazarene,  and  are  striving  to  lead  men  to  the  portals  of 
Heaven.  

Blessed  is  the  influence  of  one  true,  loving  human  soul  on 
another.  — George  Eliot. 


The  Gospel  is  not  merely  a  book — it  is  a  living  power. 

— Napoleon  Bonaparte. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  19 

RAILROADS 

In  1875  Messrs.  Hill  and  Nye,  Railroad  Promoters  and 
Ruilders,  came  to  Southern  Illinois,  projected  and  sur- 
veyed a  route  for  the  Relleville  and  Eldorado  Railroad 
from  Eldorado  to  DuQuoin.  Their  capital  consisted 
largely  of  nerve  and  atmosphere,  but  by  a  judicious  hus- 
banding of  these  resources  they  succeeded  in  building 
the  road.  September  23,  1878,  the  first  train  entered 
Renton  drawn  by  the  General  Gibson,  an  antiquated  lo- 
comotive of  the  vintage  of  1832.  This  engine  was  watered 
by  hand  from  the  Middle  Fork.  Its  smokestack  resembled 
an  enlarged  and  inverted  silk  tile  of  Martin  Van  Ruren's 
time.  Rarney  Rlaney  was  the  conductor;  Daniel  Collard 
the  engineer,  and  Mentor  Hatfield  the  brakeman. 

The  figures  on  the  time  table  indicating  the  arrival 
of  the  train  at  the  various  stations  were  preceded  by  the 
word  "about,"  and  its  speed,  or  gait  rather,  can  be  illus- 
trated by  a  story:  Frank  Trott,  Station  Agent  of  "Ye 
olden  time,"  was  accosted  by  the  ever-present  question, 
"When  will  the  train  be  here?"  Glancing  down  the 
track,  he  replied,  "Pretty  soon,  now.  Here  comes  Rarney's 
dog." 

The  Renton  and  Eldorado  Railroad  was  completed  to 
DuQuoin  May  1,  1880.  It  was  sold  to  the  St.  Louis,  Alton 
and  Terre  Haute  Railroad  Company,  July  1,  1880,  and 
was  operated  as  a  part  of  the  last  named  system  until 
October  1,  1895,  on  which  date  the  Illinois  Central  ab- 
sorbed the  St.  Louis,  Alton  and  Terre  Haute  and  has 
since  operated  all  of  its  lines. 

The  Chicago,  Paducah  and  Memphis  Railroad  was 
completed  to  Renton  and  Marion  by  Johnson  Rrothcrs 
and  Faugh  t,  February  1,  1895.  The  Chicago  and  Eastern 
Illinois  purchased  the  C.  P.  &  M.  February  23,  1897,  and 
has  since  operated  the  line. 

The  St.  Louis,  Iron  Mountain  and  Southern  was  com- 
pleted to  Renton  July  1,  1908.  It  belongs  to  the  Missouri 
Pacific  System. 


Fortune  is  ever  seen  accompanying  industry.  —  Goldsmith. 


20  PROSPECTS  OF 


THE  PEOPLE  OF  TODAY 

There  are  no  Mongolians,  or  Ethiopians  residing  here. 
These  races  have  never  been  maltreated,  or  maligned, 
but  by  common  consent  this  county  has  been  regarded  as 
the  abiding  place  of  Caucasians  only.  The  dominating 
element  in  the  population  is  the  "Old  American  Stock" 
of  Southern  extraction.  Southern  ideas  govern  social 
intercourse,  and  Southern  hospitality  is  dispensed.  The 
traveler  upon,  the  highway  is  always  greeted  with  an 
affable  "Good  day,  sir,"  and  if  he  should  stop  at  a  farm 
house  in  quest  of  information  he  will  be  politely  invited 
to  "light  and  come  in."  Refreshments  will  be  offered 
him  so  cordially  and  unostentatiously  that  he  at  once 
concludes  he  has  found  a  country  where  kindness,  chiv- 
alry and  hospitality  do  not  entirely  belong  to  the  ages 
that  are  past. 

Moral  standards  are  high.  There  are  no  saloons,  no 
sporting  or  gambling  resorts,  no  Sunday  desecration. 
Womanhood  is  respected  and  revered,  and  motherhood  is 
regarded  as  the  crowning  glory  of  womanhood.  Cornelias 
may  be  found  in  innumerable  homes,  who  point  to  their 
children  when  asked  about  their  jewels,  while  their  faces 
are  glorified  by  a  love  and  a  smile  radiating  from 
Heaven.  Here,  man  is  placed  above  the  dollar,  and  a 
man's  worth  is  measured  in  intellect  and  character  rather 
than  coin. 

To  live  among  such  people  is  to  double  one's  joys  and 
halve  one's  sorrows. 

"Come,  abide  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good." 


V?*      V? 


If   you   would    civilize    a   man,    begin 
with  his  grandmother. — Victor  Hugo. 


FHANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


21 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY  COAL 

The  most  important  clement  in  the  prosperity  of 
Franklin  County,  has  been  and  will  continue  to  he  the 
development  of  its  coal  fields.  Practically  the  entire  area 
of  the  County  is  underlaid  with  a  deposit  of  coal  of  un- 
usual quality. 

There  are  several  veins  of  this  coal,  the  more  im- 
portant of  which  is  the  No.  6  seam,  now  being  worked  at 


W.    P.    BEND    &    CO.'S    MINE,    BEND    CITT! 
GENERAL    OFFICES:      MCCORMICK    BUILDING,    CHICAGO 

various  points  in  the  County,  which  vein  lies  at  a  depth  of 
about  350  feet  at  the  county  line,  increasing  in  depth  at 
the  rate  of  about  25  feet  per  mile  following  the  dip  toward 
the  northeast. 

This  vein  has  an  average  thickness  of  practically  9 
feet.  Below  this  No.  6  vein,  at  a  depth  varying  from  40 
to  75  feet,  there  is  another  vein  running  from  4  1-2  to  5 
feet  in  average  thickness,  which,  up  to  the  present  time, 
has  hardly  been  taken  into  account,  on  account  of  the 
superior  thickness  of  the  overlying  No.  6  seam;  but  long 


22 


PROSPECTS  OF 


before  the  No.  6  seam  has  been  worked  out,  the  lower, 
or  No.  5,  seam  will  have  attracted  much  attention  and  will 
be  of  great  value  on  account  of  its  quality  and  workable 
thickness. 

These  two  seams  guarantee  the  permanence  and  im- 
portance of  the  coal  industry  for  the  next  100  years. 

Disregarding  for  the  purposes  of  this  article  the  lower, 
or  No.  5  seam,  the  special  qualities  of  the  upper  one,  or 
No.  6,  seam,  from  the  standpoint  of  the  investor,  will  be 
more  fully  discussed. 

About  twenty-five  years  ago  a  few  public  spirited 
citizens  of  Benton  had  a  prospect  hole  drilled  for  the 


DERING    COAL    COMPANY'S    NO.    11    MINE,    WEST    FRANKFORT 
GENERAL  OFFICES:    MCCOBMICK   BUILDING,   CHICAGO 

purpose  of  finding  coal  in  the  vicinity  of  Benton.  After 
drilling  to  a  depth  of  584  feet  they  became  discouraged 
and  stopped  the  enterprise.  The  drill,  at  the  time  they 
stopped  it,  was  within  50  feet  of  discovering  a  real  Eldo- 
rado for  this  county;  and,  by  the  failure  to  pursue  the 
enterprise  that  additional  distance,  the  development  of 
this  field  and  the  substantial  prosperity  of  this  county 
was  delayed  for  a  period  of  twenty  years. 

Let  this  incident  be  remembered  with  care  by  the 
prospective  investor  into  whose  hands  this  brief  sketch  of 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


23 


the  resources  of  Franklin  County  may  fall.  Substantial 
fortunes,  and  many  of  them,  will  be  made  within  the 
next  few  years  in  this  wonderful  section,  but  they  can- 
not be  made  by  merely  reading  the  story  of  what  this 
county  offers.  The  investor  who  fails  to  act  may  be  lik- 
ened to  the  prospectors  stopping  short  of  success.  Let 
the  investor  read,  and  his  judgment  being  convinced,  as 
a  careful  investigation  must  convince  it,  let  him  without 
fear  of  the  outcome  invest  whatever  sum  of  money  he 
may  have,  and  it  will  not  maybe,  but  surely,  bring  him  a 
rich  return. 


BENTON     COAL     CO. 'S     PLANT,     "PYROLITE" 
THOMSON    &    BURTON,    SALES    MANAGERS,    CHICAGO 

The  next  prospecting  was  done  by  the  late  W.  P.  Halli- 
day,  of  Cairo,  whose  wise  investments  in  the  coal  fields 
of  Southern  Illinois  made  him  the  first  millionaire  of 
this  territory.  The  results  of  his  investigation  he  did  not 
disclose,  but,  after  his  death,  those  who  were  nearest  him 
said  that  one  of  the  schemes  to  be  carried  into  effect  by 
this  farsighted  business  man  was  the  taking  over  of  a 
large  area  of  the  Franklin  County  coal,  which  he  had 
prospected  and  found  of  such  high  quality. 

The  next  prospecting,  and  the  first  one  by  which  the 
general  public  was  made  aware  of  the  fact  that  coal  un- 


24  PROSPECTS  OF 


derlay  Franklin   County,   was  made  by   the  citizens   of 
West  Frankfort  about  the  year  1896. 

The  real  development,  however,  of  the  Franklin 
County  iield  dates  from  the  time  Joseph  Leiter, 
representing  himself  and  his  father,  Levi  Z.  Leiter,  pros- 
pected and  took  over  approximately  8000  acres  of  coal 
land,  upon  which  he  located  the  town  of  Zeigler,  and 
developed  the  mines  of  the  Zeigler  Coal  Company,  now 
being  operated  by  Bell  &  Zoller.  Mr.  Leiter  saw  the 
value  of  this  wonderful  deposit,  and,  by  careful  adver- 


HART  &  WILLIAMS'  MINE,  BENTOX 
HOME  OFFICE:    BENTON,  ILL. 

Using,  introduced  this  coal  into  the  markets  of  fourteen 
States  in  the  Mississippi  Valley.  When  the  quality  of  this 
coal  became  known  there  was  a  general  movement 
among  the  more  sagacious  coal  men  and  railroad  men  to 
acquire  holdings  in  this  County. 

There  are  today  in  Franklin  County  fifteen  shipping 
mines  with  an  aggregate  capacity  of  from  four  to  five 
million  tons  per  year.  This  means  an  annual  pay-roll 
for  miners  alone  of  three  and  one-half  to  four  million 
dollars  per  year. 

This  coal  in  the  markets  of  the  Northwest  is  fast  sup- 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


25 


XKIGLER    MINE.    /KKM.EK,    ILL. 
Ol'ERATEl)    15Y    BELL    &    ZOLLER    MIXING    CO..    CHICAGO 

planting  the  Hocking  Coal  from  Ohio;  the  Splint  Coal 
from  West  Virginia,  and  the  Pittsburg  coal  in  the  North- 
west and  in  the  South,  being  the  only  coal  from  Illinois 
that  has  ever  been  able  to  meet  these  high  grade  coals 
and  supplant  them  in  their  established  markets. 

More   recent   investigations   have    demonstrated   that 


7.TEOLER     IMSTKKT     COl.I.ir.K  Y      CO.,     CHRISTOPHER 
GENERAL    OFFICES:     !)    SO.      M    SAI.I.K    STUKKT.    CHICAGO 


26 


PROSPECTS  OF 


UNITED    COAL    MINING    CO.,    CHRISTOPHER 
C.    M.    MODERWELL    &    CO.,    CHICAGO 

much  of  this  coal  is  a  coking  coal  of  high  quality,  so 
valuable  as  a  metallurgical  coke  that  the  United  States 
Steel  Corporation  has  recently  purchased  40,000  acres 
with  a  view  to  using  it  in  their  by-product  ovens  at 
South  Chicago  and  Gary,  Indiana.  Judge  Gary,  the 
Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Directors  of  the  Steel  Corpora- 


POSSUM    RIDGE    MINE,    FREEMAN 
SOUTHERN   ILLINOIS    COAL   AND    COKE    CO.,    CHICAGO 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


27 


OHIO   VALLEY   MINING   CO.  WEST    MINE 

WILMINGTON    STAR    MINING   CO., 
SALES     AGENTS,     MCCORMICK     BUILDING,     CHICAGO 

tion,  in  testimony  given  by  him  before  an  investigating 
committee  of  the  United  States  Senate,  said  that  these 
lands,  if  in  the  Connclsville  field  of  Pennsylvania,  would 
be  worth  $1,000.00  per  acre. 

On  the  heels  of  the  development  of  the  coke-making 
industry  of  this  County  will  follow  the  development  of 
the  steel  industry.  Within  ten  years  Benton,  Illinois,  will 
be  the  center  of  the  most  important  coal-producing  terri- 
tory in  the  United  States  west  of  Pittsburg,  and  the 
aggregate  pay-roll  of  the  industries  of  Franklin  County, 
will  be  greater  than  that  of  any  County  in  the  State,  with 
the  exception  of  Cook. 


DERING     COAL     CO.     "LITTLE     JACK"     MINES,     AT    WEST     FRANKFORT 


T.  C.  KELLER,  Pres.         A.  H.  STEFFENS,  Vice-Pres.         J.  T.  NORTON',  Secy. 

T.  C.  KELLER  &  COMPANY 

OLD  COLONY  BLDG.,  CHICAGO 

'Daily  Output,  2500  Tons 

Owners  and  operators  of  the  Sesser  Coal  Co.  and 
the   Franklin  County  Collieries  Co.,  Sesser,  111. 


The  Benton  Coal  Company 
Thomson  &  Burton  Co. 

Producers  of 


THE      ORIGINAL      BENTON       COAL 

Organized  December,  1903 
Daily  Capacity  2,500  Tons  Second  mine  sunk  in  the  County 


OUR  RECORDS  STAND  FOR  QUALITY  RATHER  THAN 
QUANTITY  OF  PRODUCT 


Shaker  Screened  Lump;  Re-screened  and  Hand-picked  Egg;  Roller  Screened 
and  Hand-picked  No.  1  and  No.  2  Nut 


MINE  OFFICE  GENERAL  SALES  OFFICE 

The  Benton  Coal  Company  Thomson  &  Burton  Co. 

Benton,  Illinois  Chicago,  Illinois 

OHIO  VALLEY  MINING  CO. 

Mine  at  West  Frankfort,  Franklin  County,  Illinois.  Has  C.  B.  &  Q.  and 
C.  &  E.  I.  R.  R.  connections.  Holding  yard  capacity  one  hundred  cars. 
Construction  the  most  modern,  being  of  steel  and  concrete,  making  it 
fireproof.  Electrically  equipped  throughout,  including  motors,  cutting 
machines,  etc.,  and,  in  fact,  all  the  latest  and  best  mining  machinery  and 
appliances  known.  The  only  mine  in  the  West  having  a  sizing  plant 
equipped  with  spiral  mechanical  pickers  handling  all  coal  below  3|/j> 
inches,  removing  all  impurities  and  grading  into  five  sizes.  Uniform  in 
size,  free  from  water  stains,  of  the  appearance  of  Anthracite  and  exceed- 
ingly attractive  to  the  consumer.  Sales  Agents, 

WILMINGTON    STAR    MINING   CO. 

1114   McCORMICK   BLDG.  CHICAGO 


General  Offices,  Mines  at  Christopher,  Illinois 

No.  9  South  LaSalle  St.  Chicago 

ZIEGLER    DISTRICT  COLLIERY  CO. 

FRANKLIN    COUNTY    COAL 
CAPACITY    OF    MINES    2500    TONS    PER    DAY 


St.  Louis,  Mo.  Boston,  Mass.  Herrin,  111.  Chicago,  111. 

Possum  Ridge 

A  Good,  Pure  Franklin  County  Coal   with  an  Excellent  Preparation 

THE   KIND   OF  COAL  YOUR   CUSTOMERS   WANT 
Southern  Illinois  Coal  and  Coke  Co. 

PEOPLES  GAS   BUILDING,  CHICAGO 


Bell  &  Zoller  Mining  Co. 

343  S.  Dearborn  St.,  Chicago 

Operates  the  ZEIGLER  mine,  which  is  the  largest  and  perhaps  best 
known  mine  in  the  state  of  Illinois.  It  has  a  producing  capacity  of 
5,000  tons  daily  and  is  especially  noted  for  the  splendid  quality  of 
its  coal. 


W.  P.  Rend  &  Co. 

FRANKLIN    COUNTY    COAL 

Mines  at  Rend  City  and  Rendville 

Col.  William  P.  Rend  and  his  three  sons  are  the  active  factors,  sole 
owners  and  directors  of  W.  P.  Rend  &  Company,  and  the  numerous 
Rend  interests,  Col.  Rend  acting  as  president  and  director.  Joseph  P. 
Rend  is  in  charge  of  the  operations  and  productions  of  the  properties, 
and  has  for  his  assistant  at  the  mines  Mr.  Frank  A.  Rend.  Mr.  James  E. 
Rend  has  charge  of  the  selling  and  accounting  departments. 

The  General  Offices  of 

W.  P.  REND  &  COMPANY 

the  clearing  house  for  all  the  Rend  interests,  are  located  in  the 
McCormick  Building,  Chicago. 


THE  DERING  COAL  CO. 

GENERAL  OFFICES 

McCORMICK   BLDG. 
CHICAGO 

Bering  Coal  Company  "Little  Jack"  Mines  Nos.  11  and  18  are  among 
the  foremost  coal-producing  properties  in  the  Franklin  County  field.  A 
picture  of  No.  11  top  works  appears  on  another  page.  This  is  one  of  the  old- 
est mines  in  the  field,  in  point  of  fact  being  the  second  Franklin  County  mine 
to  be  put  in  operation,  having  been  opened  up  by  J.  K.  Dering  in  the  year 
1904.  It  is  operating  in  about  10  feet  of  coal  at  a  depth  of  about  489  feet 
from  the  surface,  and  its  product  as  well  as  that  of  No.  18  is  noted  among 
the  users  of  domestic  and  high-grade  steam  coal. 

29 


WALTER  W.  WILLIAMS 
President 


A.  N.  EAST  W.  H.  HART 

Vice-President  Secretary  and  Treasurer 


Hart-  Williams  Coal  Company 

Geo.  A.  Powers,  Superintendent 

SALES  OFFICES 

Fisher  Building,  Chicago 

Syndicate  Trust  Bldg.,  St.  Louis.     Central  Bank  Bldg.,  Memphis 
Hennen  Bldg.,  New  Orleans.     City  National  Bank  Bldg.,  Omaha 

Address  all  Replies  to 
HOME    OFFICE,  Benton,  Illinois 


Tne  Famous  Christopher   Cpj1! 

Mined  by  the  United  Coal  Mining  Company  at  Christo- 
pher, is  sold  only  by  C.  M.  Moderwell  &  Co.,  McCormick 
Building,  Chicago. 


., 


CARROLL  &   FRANKLIN    COUNTIES   COAL   CO.    MINE 
AT   HANAFORD 


W.  H.  MARSHALL 

Vice-Prei.  and  General  Manager 

CHICAGO 


EUGENE    STEVENS 

Mine  Superintendent 

HANAFORD 


Hanaford  Coal 


CARROLL  AND  FRANKLIN   COUNTIES 
COAL   COMPANY 

GENERAL  OFFICE 

OLD  COLONY  BLDG.,  CHICAGO 

Mines  at  Hanaford,  111. 
'Hanaford'1  is  the  BEST  of  the  justly  celebrated  Franklin  County  coal 


30 


31 


32 


PROSPECTS  OF 


THE  CITY  OF  BENTON,  ILLINOIS 

EARLY  HISTORY 

IN  the  spring  of  1841,  Thomas  Thompson,  a  surveyor, 
under  the  old   dispensation,  platted  the  towns  of 
Benton,  Marion  and  Vienna.     The  town  of  Benton 
was  located  on  lands  owned  by  Walter  S.  Aiken   and 
John  Ewing. 

The  first  Court  House  was  erected  in  1841,  in  the 
Public  Square  designated  on  the  plat  for  that  purpose, 
and  was  burned  in  1843.  Another  building  was  erected 


FRANKLIN   COUNTY   COURT   HOUSE,   BENTON 

for  court  purposes  on  the  Southeast  corner  of  the  block 
now  occupied  by  the  A.  D.  Jackson  Saddlery  Company. 

The  first  brick  Court  House  was  built  upon  the  square 
reserved  for  that  purpose  in  1845.  The  present  Court 
House  was  erected  in  1875  and  1876  by  John  J.  St.  Clair. 

Southern  Illinois  was  the  first  settled  portion  of  the 
State,  and  many  prominent  and  eminent  lawyers  in  the 
early  history  of  the  State  originated  and  practiced  law 
here,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned :  Walter  B.  Scates, 
Ephriam  Gatewood,  Hugh  Montgomery,  Richard  Nelson, 
William  A.  Denning,  Willis  Allen,  William  J.  Allen,  John 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


33 


H.  Mulkey,  Sam  K.  Casey,  John  A.  Logan,  M.  C.  Craw- 
ford, F.  M.  Youngblood,  Samuel  E.  Flannigan,  H.  W. 
Smith,  Thos.  J.  Layman,  Sam  S.  Marshall,  W.  K.  Par- 
rish,  and  A.  D.  Duff.  THESE  MEN  WERE  LAWYERS. 

The  church  was  represented  by  such  able  exponents 
as  the  Reverends  Braxton  Parrish,  Robert  Moore,  Moses 
Neal,  George  and  Thomas  Lopas,  and  many  other  good 
and  God-fearing  men,  who  did  much  to  develop  the 
moral  and  religious  sentiment  of  the  County. 

Among  the  earlier  physicians  of  the  town  were  W.  O. 
Espy,  T.  M.  Sams,  W.  E.  Smith,  R.  H.  Green,  Dr.  Wall, 
Warren  Burges,  W.  D.  Burress. 

The  first  store  was  opened  by  Col.  Tilman  B.  Cantrell, 
in  the  year  1845,  in  what  was  known  as  the  "White  Row" 


COUNTY   BUILDING,   BENTON 

on  the  North  side  of  the  Public  Square,  and  East  of  North 
Main  Street.  Among  the  early  merchants  were  John 
Knox,  Jesse  K.  DuBois,  James  Rogers,  W.  O.  Espy,  W.  H. 
Fountain,  Charles  Dudley,  "Rafe"  Elstun,  S.  M.  Hubbard, 
Daniel  Mooneyham,  John  Ward,  Dr.  Cook,  John  McFall, 
Robert  Johnson,  Levi  Browning,  A.  D.  Jackson,  J.  G. 
Mitchell,  G.  T.  Hubbard,  W.  W.  Hoskinson,  W.  R.  Ward, 
Carroll  Moore,  John  McCollum,  etc.  These  merchants 
hauled  all  their  goods  from  St.  Louis,  a  distance  of  about 
one  hundred  miles,  generally  with  ox  teams,  requiring 
about  two  weeks  to  make  the  round  trip,  camping  along 
the  road  at  night.  A  hack  line,  or  Star  route  mail  line, 
was  early  established  from  Shawneetown,  via  Benton,  to 


34 


PROSPECTS  OF 


St.  Louis,  probably  in  1845.  Four  days  were  required  to 
get  a  communication  to  St.  Louis,  marked  "Post  Haste." 
James  Swofford,  Levi  Browning  and  others  erected 
the  first  flouring  mill  in  Benton  about  the  year  1856;  an 
explosion  occurred  at  the  mill  in  1862,  killing  Mr.  Swof- 
ford  and  a  Mr.  Graham.  This  mill  was  later  torn  down. 
W.  W.  McFall  built  another  mill  in  the  year  1873.  It  was 


RESIDENCE     OF    DR.     VISE,    BENTON 
RESIDENCE   OF   MRS.    W.   R.    WARD,   BENTON 

burned  in  1908.     The  present  mill  was  built  by  Ford  & 
Ford  in  1900,  and  is  one  of  the  best  in  Southern  Illinois. 

BENTON  TODAY 

A  city  of  5000  people,  the  county  seat  of  Franklin 
County,  Illinois,  300  miles  south  of  Chicago  and  90  miles 
east  of  St.  Louis. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


35 


RAILROADS  OF  BENTON 

Benton  is  in  a  measure  one  of  the  railroad  centers  of 
Southern  Illinois,  having  three  trunk  lines,  namely,  the 
Illinois  Central,  the  Chicago  and  Eastern  Illinois,  and 
the  Missouri  Pacific,  while  the  Egyptian  Southern  Rail- 
way, the  Zeigler  and  Gulf  Coast  Railway  and  the  Toledo, 


RESIDENCE   OF    \V.    W.    MCCREERY,   BENTON 
RESIDENCE   OF    SPRUEL   REA,   BENTON 

St.  Louis  and  New  Orleans  are  already  worked  out  on 
paper.  Other  lines  of  railway  are  building  in  this  direc- 
tion, and  there  will  be  at  least  three  more  important 
roads  added  to  our  transportation  facilities  before  1915. 
This  County  is  one  of  the  largest  freighting  points  of  the 
state  as  shown  by  the  fact  that  in  1911,  nearly  two  and 
one  half  million  dollars  worth  of  freight  was  billed  out 


36 


PROSPECTS  OF 


SOUTH    MAIN     STREET,    BENTON        ( PAVING) 

of  Benton  alone.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time  until  a 
system  of  interurban  railways  will  connect  and  give  to 
the  different  points  in  this  County  rapid,  cheap  and  effi- 
cient means  of  intercommunication. 

PUBLIC  UTILITIES  OF  BENTON 

Benton  enjoys  all  modern  conveniences.     Benton  has 
a  first-class  electric  light  plant;  a  new  and  thoroughly 


HOTEL    MCCREERY,    BENTON 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


37 


equipped  water  supply  system;  and  a  comprehensive 
sewage  system,  while  the  street  lighting  is  superior  to 
that  of  many  of  the  larger  cities.  The  public  square  and 
the  principal  thoroughfares  have  recently  been  paved 
at  a  cost  of  $80,000.00,  and  plans  are  now  ready  for 
several  miles  of  additional  paving  and  for  a  complete 
chain  of  concrete  sidewalks,  embracing  all  the  principal 
streets.  An  abundance,  not  only  of  the  necessities,  but 
also  of  the  luxuries  and  conveniences  of  modern  civiliza- 
tion, makes  Benton  a  desirable  city  in  which  to  reside. 

BANKS  OF  BENTON 
Two  strong  local  banks  handle  the  finances  of  Benton. 


VIEW    ON    EAST    MAIN     STREET,    BENTON 

The  Benton  State  Bank  was  established  in  1875  and  has 
a  capital  and  surplus  of  $115,000.00. 

The  First  National  Bank  was  organized  in  1902  and 
has  a  capital  and  surplus  of  $100,000.00.  Both  banks  are 
officered  by  capable  men  and  are  thoroughly  progressive 
in  policy. 

NEWSPAPERS  OF  BENTON 

Benton  boasts  of  two  first-class  newspaper  establish- 
ments. The  Benton  Standard,  of  which  A.  E.  Martin  is 
the  editor  and  publisher,  was  organized  in  1849,  and  has 


38 


PROSPECTS  OF 


ever  since  spread  the  gospel  of  Democracy.  The  Benton 
Republican,  of  which  H.  L.  Frier  is  the  editor  and 
publisher,  was  founded  in  1895.  Both  plants  are  housed 
in  substantial  buildings  and  have  complete  modern 
equipments. 

PUBLIC  BUILDINGS  OF  BENTON 
The  public  buildings  compare  favorably  with  those 


RESIDENCE   OF   K.    R.   WARD,   BENTON 
RESIDENCE   OF   E.    FITZGERRELL,   BENTON 

of  any  city  in  Southern  Illinois.  The  Franklin  County 
Court  House,  located  in  the  Public  Square,  is  an  imposing 
and  historic  structure,  while  the  County  Jail  and  the  City 
Hall  are  both  handsome  and  serviceable  buildings.  The 
Lincoln  School  building  and  the  Township  High  School 
building,  are  the  last  word  in  school  architecture.  The 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


39 


McFall  Auditorium  is  a  complete  and  elaborate  theatrical 
plant.  In  addition  to  these,  Benton  is  the  proud  posses- 
sor of  one  of  the  mine-rescue  stations  of  the  State  of 
Illinois.  The  Station  is  of  reinforced  concrete  and  is 
equipped  with  every  modern  convenience.  The  rescue 
car  is  constantly  at  hand,  ready  to  go  on  a  moment's 
notice  to  the  scene  of  a  mine  explosion.  The  Station  is 


RESIDENCE    OP    G.    C.    CANTRELL,    BENTON 
RESIDENCE    OF    W.    S.    CANTRELL,    BENTON 

equipped  with  a  miniature  training  gallery,  in  which 
gases  are  exploded  so  that  the  rescue  crew  may  have 
training  under  conditions  identical  with  those  accom- 
panying an  actual  mine  explosion. 

HOTELS 

Benton  has  two  well  appointed  hotels,  the  "McCreery," 
under  the  able  management  of  Gene  Ford,  and  the  "Hotel 


40 


PROSPECTS  OF 


Hudson."  Both  hotels  are  substantial  brick  structures, 
newly  furnished  throughout,  having  electric  lights,  steam 
heat,  room  telephones,  hot  and  cold  water  and  all  the 
modern  appointments,  and  fine  table  service.  The  cuisine 
is  of  exceptional  excellence. 


RESIDENCE  OF  JUDGE  W.  H.  HART,  BEXTON 

The  Public  Square  in  Benton,  around  which  are 
grouped  most  of  the  business  interests  of  the  City,  is 
almost  solidly  surrounded  by  modern  business  blocks, 


RESIDENCE  OF  L.  W.  BRAND, 
BENTON 


RESIDENCE  OF  DWIGHT  CUTLER, 
BENTON 


among  which  are  the  Ward  building,  a  massive  three- 
story  brick;  the  Browning  building;  the  C.  A.  Jackson 
Block;  the  J.  G.  Mitchell  Block;  the  Swofford  building 
and  the  W.  W.  McFall  building.  Most  of  these  buildings 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


41 


have  been  put  up  within  the  last  few  years  and  are  of 
the  highest  standard  throughout. 

STORES  OF  BENTON 

The  mercantile  interests  of  Benton  are  well  housed 
and  well  equipped.  The  department  stores  are  remark- 
able for  the  beauty  of  their  fixtures  and  for  the  size  and 


RESIDENCE    OF    JESSE    DIMOND,    BENTON 
RESIDENCE    OF   H.    L.    FRIER,    BENTON 

variety  of  their  stocks,  while  the  smaller  stores  are  well 
kept  and  well  managed.  In  the  business  district  there 
are  four  department  stores,  three  exclusive  men's  cloth- 
ing emporiums,  two  jewelry  establishments,  two  hard- 
ware houses,  three  large  lumber  concerns,  three  drug 
stores,  one  bookstore,  and  scores  of  other  and  smaller 
mercantile  establishments  of  various  kinds. 


42 


PROSPECTS  OF 


COAL  MINING  COMPANIES  OF  BENTON 

There  are  two  important  coal  companies  operating 
at  Benton.  The  Hart  &  Williams  Company  with  a  daily 
capacity  of  2500  tons  and  the  Benton  Coal  Company 
with  a  capacity  approximating  2500  tons  each  day.  The 
number  of  men  employed  by  both  mines  when  in  full 


WARREN    AND    BURKETT 
HART    AND    WILLIAMS 


working  force  are  about  1000,  whose  monthly  wage  scale 
exceeds  $100,000.00. 

INDUSTRIES  OF  BENTON  • 

In  addition  to  its  great  coal  interests,  Benton  has  a 
number  of  enterprising  and  progressive  industries,  among 
which  are  the  following: 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


43 


The  Benton  Brick  Company,  The  Benton  Peerless 
Mills,  The  A.  D.  Jackson  Saddlery  Company,  The  Model 
Cream  Separator  Manufacturing  Company,  The  Benton 
Bottling  Works,  The  Benton  Steam  Laundry,  The  Ben- 
ton  Ice  Plant,  The  William  Gray  Machine  Company,  The 
William  Werner  Packing  Company,  The  J.  E.  Mundell 
Planing  Company,  Ward  Brothers  Mill,  Frank  Connors 
Lumber  Company,  The  F.  J.  Hickman  Mills,  The  Stotlar- 
Herrin  Lumber  Company,  and  The  Sanitary  Stove  Manu- 
facturing Company. 

RESIDENCES  OF  BENTON 

The  homes  of  Benton,  as  a  rule,  are  well  built  and 
attractive.  Among  the  older  and  historic  homes  are  the 


D.  M.  Browning  residence,  now  owned  by  Hon.  W.  S. 
Cantrell,  and  the  A.  D.  Jackson,  C.  Moore,  W.  L.  Eskew, 
W.  R.  Ward,  Dr.  Z.  Hickman,  Evan  Fitzgerrell,  Mrs.  A. 
G.  Orr  and  Mrs.  Sylvester  Fitzgerrell  residences.  The 
homes  of  W.  F.  Spiller,  Judge  W.  H.  Hart,  Hon.  W.  W. 
Williams,  Geo.  A.  Powers,  Dr.  W.  L.  Brand,  Dr.  H.  A. 
Vise,  T.  A.  Hall,  G.  C.  Cantrell,  Robert  R.  Ward,  Judge 
W.  F.  Dillon,  John  L.  Browning,  T.  L.  Browning,  Hon. 
C.  A.  Aiken,  Hiram  Aiken,  S.  O.  Snyder,  Dr.  R.  E.  Poin- 
dexter,  H.  L.  Frier,  S.  C.  D.  Rea,  Dr.  W.  H.  Alvis,  Mrs. 
John  W.  Swofford,  W.  W.  McFall,  F.  O.  Hamilton,  E.  J. 
Odum,  H.  G.  Davis,  and  others  are  among  the  most 
modern  of  the  city,  and  contain  every  comfort  and  con- 
venience. The  streets  of  Benton  are  well  kept,  and  an 


44  PROSPECTS  OF 


abundance  of  shade  trees  and  flowers  adds  an  attractive 
setting  to  the  residence  district. 

SCHOOLS  OF  BENTON 

As  early  as  1865  the  school  census  showed  a  resident 
population  of  589  in  the  school  district,  consisting  of  four 
square  miles  surrounding  Benton.  Since  its  earliest  his- 
tory, Benton  has  been  interested  in  schools,  and  even  be- 
fore the  "Free  School  Laws"  of  this  State  were  enacted, 
"The  Benton  Academy"  was  a  flourishing  institution  of 
learning. 

No  city  of  its  size  in  Southern  Illinois  is  better  sup- 
plied with  school  facilities  than  is  the  City  of  Benton. 
The  people  of  Benton  believe  in  education  and  they 
gladly  pay  high  salaries  for  competent  teachers.  The 
public  grade  schools  are  housed  in  the  Lincoln  and  Logan 
buildings,  both  of  which  are  massive  brick  structures, 
while  the  Township  High  School  building,  recently  com- 
pleted, is  superb  in  all  its  appointments  and  can  accommo- 
date 400  students. 

The  teachers  in  the  public  grade  schools  are  carefully 
selected  and  are  of  the  highest  type,  while  the  faculty 
of  the  Township  High  School  ranks  second  to  none. 

SOCIAL  ORGANIZATIONS 

Benton  is  a  stronghold  of  Masonry.  Benton  Lodge  No. 
64,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  is  probably  the  oldest  Masonic  order 
in  Southern  Illinois,  having  numbered  General  John  A. 
Logan,  Daniel  M.  Browning  and  Monroe  C.  Crawford 
among  its  early  members.  The  W.  R.  Ward  Chapter  of 
Royal  Arch  Masons,  No.  223,  was  instituted  in  October, 
1907,  and  has  a  membership  of  110.  The  White  Shrine 
of  Jerusalem  is  also  one  of  the  oldest  orders  here  and  is 
in  flourishing  condition,  while  the  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star  has  a  large  membership  and  is  most  prosperous. 

The  I.  O.  O.  F.,  No.  284,  and  the  Sisters  of  Rebecca,  as 
well  as  the  Encampment  and  Canton,  each  have  a  large 
membership  and  convenient  meeting  halls. 

Benton  Lodge,  No.  1234,  of  the  B.  P.  O.  E.,  was  in- 
stituted in  1911  and  has  a  splendid  lodge  hall  with  club 
rooms  adjoining.  The  Elks  have  a  membership  of  about 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  45 

75  and  are  contemplating  the  erection  of  a  suitable  home 
in  the  near  future. 

The  Knights  of  Pythias,  Court  of  Honor,  Modern 
Woodmen,  Royal  Neighbors  and  Owls,  also  have  flourish- 
ing lodges  in  Benton;  while  there  are  also  several  Polish 
and  Catholic  organizations  here. 

The  principal  Women's  Clubs  are  the  Domestic  Art 
Club,  Self  Culture  Class  and  the  W.  C.  T.  U.,  all  of  which 
are  progressive  and  all  of  which  are  members  of  the  State 
Federation  of  Women's  Clubs,  and  active  in  social  and 
civic  affairs. 

CHURCHES  OF  BENTON 

Benton  has  several  imposing  and  well  constructed 
churches,  among  which  are  the  First  Baptist,  Methodist 
Episcopal,  Christian,  Primitive  Baptist,  Catholic,  Second 
Baptist,  Old  Salem  Baptist  and  others.  The  members  of 
the  various  congregations  are  always  ready  and  willing 
to  receive  and  welcome  strangers  and  visitors. 

THE  BENTON  COMMERCIAL  CLUB 

The  Benton  Commercial  Club  was  organized  to  pro- 
mote the  business  interests  of  Benton  and  Franklin 
County  and  to  provide  for  the  welfare  of  its  citizens. 

This  Club  welcomes  any  meritorious  enterprise  that 
may  be  presented  and  through  its  committees  will  enter- 
tain and  carefully  investigate  the  proposition  offered  by 
any  person  or  company  who  may  be  looking  for  a  more 
favorable  location  than  their  present  environment.  The 
Club  especially  invites  manufacturing  concerns,  foundry 
companies,  etc.,  that  desire  cheap  and  abundant  fuel  and 
good  railroad  facilities  convenient  to  the  best  markets  of 
the  West. 

All  enquiries  addressed  to  the  Benton  Commercial 
Club  will  receive  prompt  and  careful  attention. 

THE  BENTON  MILITARY  BAND 
THE  LEADING  BAND  OF  THE  STATE  OUTSIDE  OF  CHICAGO 

The  Benton  Military  Band  was  organized  on  January 
27,  1903,  by  C.  H.  Sauther,  E.  B.  Nolen  and  W.  C.  Ludwig, 
as  commissioners. 


46  PROSPECTS  OF  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 

To  the  musical  ability  and  untiring  efforts  of  its  first 
instructor  and  director,  Mr.  C.  H.  Sauther,  belongs  the 
credit  of  its  existence.  The  personnel  of  the  original 
band  numbered  twenty-seven  men.  The  band  has  a 
membership  today  of  thirty-five  first-class  musicians, 
some  of  whom  are  noted  soloists. 

Mr.  Sauther  was  succeeded  as  Director  by  Mr.  Robin 
A.  Anderson,  one  of  the  prominent  musicians  of  Southern 
Illinois,  and  after  him  came  that  well  known  bandmaster, 
Joe  Greenfield,  who  today  wields  the  baton.  Professor 
Greenfield's  ability  and  experience  has  made  this  the  ban- 
ner musical  organization  of  Southern  Illinois.  He  is  a 
graduate  of  Trinity  College,  England,  and  is  a  very  suc- 
cessful composer.  As  a  conductor  he  has  perfect  control 
of  the  men. 

The  band  has  filled  several  important  engagements; 
not  only  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  but  in  other  states. 

Their  repertoire  of  music  includes  everything  that 
comprises  first-class  repertoire  for  a  first-class  band. 
Benton  boasts  of  the  Benton  Military  Band. 


Industry  hath  annexed  thereto  the  fairest 
fruits  and  the  richest  rewards. — Barrow. 


ESTABLISHED     1875 

BENTON  STATE  BANK 

Capital  and  Surplus  $100,000.00 

Benton,  111., 

Carroll  Moore,  Pres.  Rob't  R.  Ward,  Vice  Pres. 

W.  B.  Blake,  Vice  Pres.  Carl  Burkhart,  Cashier 

W.  C.  Ludwig,  Ass't  Cashier. 

Oldest  and  Largest  Bank  in  Franklin  County 

Your  Patronage  Solicited 

FRANKLIN  COUNTY  STORES  Co. 

MAIN  OFFICE 

BENTON,    ILL. 

BRANCH  STORE  BRANCH  STORE 

WEST  FRANKFORT,  ILL.  MARION,  ILL. 

THE  STOTLAR.HERRIN  LUMBER  Co. 

Incorporated   1901 

Benton,  111. 

LUMBER,  PLASTERS,  PAINTS  AND  OILS, 
-BUILDER'S     HARDWARE- 


Herrin,  111.;  Johnston  City,  111.;  Marion,  111.;  Benton,  111.; 
Christopher,    111.;    Pittsburg,    111.;     West    Frankfort,    111. 

47 


The  Benton  Commercial  Club 

Ben  ton,   Illinois 

HARRY  STOTLAR  -  -  -  President 
MOSES  PULVERMAN  -  -  -  Secretary 
W.  W.  McFALL Treasurer 


The  Members  of  This  Club  will  assist  and  encourage 

any  meritorious  enterprise  seeking 

location  in  Franklin  County 


F.  H.  STAMPER,  BENTON,   ILL.,  General  Agent 

THE  CELEBRATED  MAXWELL  AUTOMOBILE 

Large  Variety  of  These  Magnificent  Machines  on   Hand 


Manufacturers  and  Business  Men  Seeking 
a  Favorable   and    Advantageous   Location 

If  You  Have  a  Proposition  of  Merit 
If  You  Desire  Good    Railroad  Facilities 
If  You  Need  Additional  Capital 
If  You  Wish  Cheap  and  Abundant  Fuel 
If  You    Appreciate  a   Rapidly    Increasing 

Population,   or, 

If  You    Wish  to    Benefit    by  Any  of    the    Wonder- 
ADDRESS        ful  Opportunities  Presented  in  Franklin  County, 

J.  E.  MYERS,        DIMOND  &  CO.,       Benton,  111. 


R.  E.   HICKMAN,  Attorney-at-Law 

South  Side  Public  Square  BENTON,  ILL. 


PROFITS  IN  POULTRY 

The  ILLINOIS  POULTRY  PRODUCTS  CO.,  organized  to  produce 
and  market  good  poultry  and  eggs,  and  to  handle  poultry  breeders' 
supplies.  Model  poultry  farms  now  in  operation  at  Benton  and  Hana- 
ford,  Illinois. 

Modern  incubators,  giving  large  daily  supply  of  chicks.  Best 
laying  varieties,  White  Leghorn  and  White  Wyandotte.  Easy  access 
to  both  Chicago  and  St.  Louis  markets.  Location  ideal  for  poultry 
raising. 

Poultry  possibilities  are  limitless.  Poultry  farming  offers  a  com- 
petency, amid  agreeable  surroundings,  on  a  small  investment.  Land 
adjacent  to  company's  model  plant  for  sale  in  suitable  tracts.  If 
interested  write  for  full  details  of  our  poultry  colony  proposition. 


Illinois  Poultry  Products  Co. Illinois 


48 


F.  O.  HAMILTON,  President       C.  E.  HAMILTON,  Vice  Pres.  and  Sec'y 

HAMILTON  UTILITIES  COMPANY 

Incorporated 

WATER,     LIGHT,     POWER 

All  Water  and  Electrical  Appliances 

Capital  $100,000.00  BENTON,  ILL. 

WILLIAM  H.  HART  WALTER  W.  WILLIAMS 

HART  &  WILLIAMS 

LAWYERS 

MOSES  PULVERMAN  BENTON,   ILL       Stenoorapher  and  Notary  in  Office 

Surveys  and  Maps  of  All  Kinds  Screening  Plants 

Estimates  and  Designs  Bottom  Layouts 

Plans  for  Development  Inspection  and  Reports 

L.  T.  PUTMAN 

Civil  and  Mining  Engineer  BENTON,  ILL. 

W.  W.  McFALL,  President  G.  C.  CANTRELL.  Cashier 

E.  N.  REA.  Vice-Prejident  C.  A.  A1KEN,  Jr.,  Ass't  Cashier 


FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 

Capital  and  Surplus  $100,000.00 
BENTON,  ILLINOIS 


Interest  Paid  on  Time  Deposits 

49 


Jesse  Dimond  &  Co. 

REAL  ESTATE,  LOANS 
AND      INSURANCE 

We  Buy  and  Sell  Our  Own  Property 

BENTON,    ILLINOIS 


OFFICE  OF  JESSE  DIMOND  &  CO.,  BENTON 

City  Realty  improved  and  unimproved  in 
all  the  Towns  of  Franklin  County — Large 
Tracts  of  Productive  Farm  Land  for  Actual 
Settlement — Coal  Properties  and  Royalties 
bought  and  sold — Merchandise  bought  and 
Real  Estate  exchanged  for  Stocks  of  all  kinds 

WILL   BUILD   TO   SUIT   PURCHASERS 
COLONIZATION  A  SPECIALTY 

WE  ARE  THE  LARGEST  OPERATORS  IN 
REAL  ESTATE  IN  SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS 

50 


HENRY   HUDSON  C.    W.    STILLEY 


Room  No.  31,  Ward  Bldg.  Benton,  Illinois 


We  are  also  Title  Examiners,  and  are  able  to  tell  you,  if  from  the 
history  of  your  title  as  shown  by  the  records,  your  title  is  perfect. 

We  are  experienced  abstracters  and  are  prepared  to  furnish  Complete 
Abstracts  of  Title  on  short  notice. 


W.  H.  ALVIS 

PHYSICIAN  AND  SURGEON 

WARD  BUILDING 
BENTON,  ILLINOIS 

MOORE   &  MOORE 

General  Merchandise,  Dry  Goods    and  Notions,  Shoes,   Work 

Clothes,  Groceries,  etc. 
ALL   KINDS   OF   UNDERTAKING   SUPPLIES 

Benton,    Illinois 

W.    A.    McKEE 

DENTIST 

Ward  Building  Benton,  Illinois 

A.  D.  JACKSON   SADDLERY   CO. 

Established  1 855 
BENTON          -         ILLINOIS 

Wholesale  manufacturers  of  an  up-to-date,  dependable  line 

of  saddlery  goods,  at  right  prices. 

Their  factory  is  equipped  with  all  the  latest  improved  ma- 
chinery, and  they  work  a  large  force  of  skilled  mechanics. 

The  plant  covers  practically  a  block. 
They  carry  a  large  stock  and  travel    several    men.     Their 

trade  extends  over  several  states. 
THEY    ALSO    MAINTAIN    A    RETAIL    STORE 

51 


CLARA    HUDSON -ST.   CLAIR 

BENTON,   ILLINOIS 
Dealer  in  Millinery  and  Ladies'  "Ready  to  Wear"  Garments 

Cany  the  largest  stock  of  Millinery;  Ladies'  Cloaks,  Coats,  Skirts  and  Suits  in  Franklin 

County.     Established  twenty  years.     If  you  want  dependable  merchandise  I  can  please 

you.     My  prices  are  right.     Your  Patronage  Earnestly  Solicited 


DRUG   STORE 


DRS.  HART  & 
HART  DRUG   CO. 


The  Benton  Shoe  Store 

Franklin  County  Footquarters 


A  Complete  Line  of  Drugs  and  Patent 
Medicines,  Toilet  Articles  and  Sundries 

BEST  SODA    FOUNTAIN 

IN  CITY  BENTON,  ILLINOIS 

SANITARY     PLUMBING 

O.    L.    GRADY 

Hot  Water,  Hot  Air  and  Steam  Heating 
Agent    for    Pilot    Acetylene    Generators 

OFFICE   PHONE  No.  68-2 

RESIDENCE  No.  78  BENTON,    ILLINOIS 

REAL   ESTATE  COLLECTIONS 

J.    H.    WRIGHT 

POLICE  MAGISTRATE  AND   NOTARY  PUBLIC 

BENTON,    ILLINOIS 

Meet  Us  Feet  to  Feet 

The  Shoeologists 
Monroe,  Hay  and  Monday 

W.  F.  SPILLER  C.  H.  MILLER 

LAW  OFFICES 

SPILLER  &  MILLER 

BENTON,  ILLINOIS 
Will  practice  in  all  Courts  of  the  State 

BURK1TTS  ABSTRACT  OFFICE 


Has  the  only  Set  of  Abstract  Books 
in  the  County.  Call  at  his  office 
when  you  want  an  Abstract 

WARD  BUILDING,  BENTON,   ILLINOIS 

52 


P.   S.   POPE  CLOTHING   CO. 

Men's  Furnishings,  Neckwear, 

Hosiery,  etc. 
BENTON,  ILLINOIS 

W.  L.  BRAND,  Dentist 

ESTABLISHED  1897 
Southwest  Corner  Square      BENTON.  ILLINOIS 

THE  BENTON  REPUBLICAN 

H.  L.  FRIER,  Publisher 

THE  LEADING  NEWSPAPER  IN  SOUTHERN  ILLINOIS 

-   Fine  Job  Work  a  Specialty  - 
J.  R.  GARDNER,  INSURANCE 

BENTON.  ILLINOIS 

Fire,  Tornado.  Plate  Glass.  Boiler.  Farm  Insurance. 
Employees'  Liability.  Leading  Companies 

W.  W.  McFALL,  President  G.  C.  CANTRELL,  Sec.-Treasurer 

A.  L.  ESKEW,  Vice-Pres.  and  Gen.  Mgr.  S.  E.  ESKEW,  Assistant  Manager 

THE  McFALL  HARDWARE  COMPANY 

(INCORPORATED) 

Hardware,    Tinware,    Cutlery,     Furniture, 

Farming  Implements,  Wagons,  Buggies,  Etc. 

BENTON  ....  ILLINOIS 


H.    OMER    PARKER.   Manager 

Laundries  and  French  Dry 
Cleaning 

BENTON.   ILLINOIS 


W.     B.     MARTIN    Insurance  and 
Benton,    Illinois  ^al  Estate 


53 


WILLIAM   WERNER 

I    MEATS   I 


THE  VERY  BEST  QUALITY  AT  REASONABLE  COST 

Long  Established  and  a  Reputation  to  Sustain 
SOUTH   SIDE  PUBLIC  SQUARE  BENTON.   ILLINOIS 

WEBSTER'S  DRUG  STORE 

POST  OFFICE  BLOCK.  BENTON 

Prescriptions  a  Specialty  Full  Line  of  Drugs  and  Sundries 

YOUR  PATRONAGE  SOLICITED 

HOTEL  McCREERY 

EUGENE  FORD,   Proprietor 
BENTON,       ILLINOIS 

Strictly  Commerical          Rates  $2.00  to  $3.00 


FITZGERRELL  BROTHERS 

Good  Goods  for  Cash 

HARDWARE,    SPORTING    GOODS,    MINING    TOOLS, 

PAINTS,  OILS,  GLASS,  INCUBATORS,  POULTRY  FEED 

AND    SUNDRIES 

BENTON  -      ILLINOIS 


The    Franklin    County   Abstract 

owns  the  only  absolutely  accurate  records  covering 
Rea|    Estate    in    the    County.      Its   officers   are 

experienced,    accurate  and  energetic. 

It  makes  and  prints  ABSTRACTS,  furnishes  OPINIONS  of  TITLE  and 

GUARANTEES  TITLES. 

Its  Multigraph  Department  furnishes  duplicate  abstracts,      in    case  of  sub- 

divisions, far  cheaper  than  they  can  be  typewritten  or  printed. 

Typewritten  circular  letters  will  be,  on   your    order,  reproduced,  addressed 

and  mailed  without  your  further  attention. 

GEO.   B.   HOLMES,  President 

BENTON,  ILLINOIS.  MARIE  STEVES,  Secretary 

54 


W.   S.  CANTRELL 

ATTORNEY        AT        LAW 
ROOMS  3.  4  AND  5  McFALL  BLOCK        BENTON,    ILLINOIS 


MOONEYHAM   &    SEEBER 

ATTORNEYS   AT   LAW 
PRACTICE    IN   ALL   COURTS  BENTON,    ILLINOIS 

EDWARD  AUSTIN,  M.  D. 

Office,  Swofford  Building 
BENTON  ILLLINOIS 

For  Over  60  Years  the  Leading  Newspaper 

THE  BENTON  STANDARD 

Our    Job    Rooms    are    the    Busiest 

and   Best  Equipped  in  All  "Egypt" 

A.  E.  MARTIN,  Editor  and  Propr.  EAST  MAIN  STREET 

REA  BRO.'S  REALTY  CO. 

—  We    Make  a  Specialty    of — 
Benton  and  Franklin  County  Real  Estate 

Browning  Building  BENTON,  ILL. 


Cf^         T/^XTITC        Wholesale  and  Retail 
.    VJ.    JUi\r>t3,    PURE        ICE 

Wholesale  and  Retail  Country  Produce,  Small  Fruit  and  Vegetables 
Furs,  Hides  and  Game — Track  Price  on  Anything  You  Have  to  Offer 


H.  A.  VISE,    M.  D. 

Office,   Browning  Building,      BENTON,  ILL. 


55 


56 


PROSPECTS  OF 


WEST  FRANKFORT 

THE  village  of  Frankfort — from  which  the   City  of 
West  Frankfort  gets  its  name,  is  one  of  the  oldest 
settlements  in  Southern  Illinois.    It  was  the  main 
stopping  point  between  Vincennes  and  Kaskaskia  in  the 
early  Indian  days  and  had  a  fort  from  which  it  took  its 
name.    In  later  days  it  was  an  important  station  between 
Shawneetown  and  St.  Louis,  being  on  the  route  of  the 
stage  coach  and  mail  line. 

After  the  passing  of  the  Indians  the  early  settlers 
were  mainly  from  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  They  could 
purchase  the  best  of  land  for  l2l/2  cents  per  acre.  Five 


STREET    SCENE,    WEST    FRANKFORT 

dollars  would  pay  for  forty  acres,  but  the  five  was  hard 
to  get. 

The  virgin  soil  yielded  kindly  and  abundantly,  with 
scarcely  any  labor  after  it  was  seeded. 

The  scenery  from  Frankfort  hill,  looking  over  the  sur- 
rounding prairies,  especially  in  the  springtime,  is  en- 
trancingly  beautiful.  There  is  not  a  finer  view  in  South- 
ern Illinois  than  from  this  beautiful  hill. 

Frankfort  for  many  years  was  the  county  seat  of 
Franklin  County,  and  the  County  at  that  time  contained, 
besides  its  present  area,  the  County  of  Williamson. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


57 


The  first  Court  House  was  located  about  three  and 
one-half  miles  east  of  the  present  site  of  Old  Frankfort, 
and  was  built  of  logs.  The  specifications  of  this  building 
are  still  in  existence,  one  item  of  which  is  that  the  floor 
of  the  building  may  be  made  of  logs,  but  must  have  the 
upper  side  thereof  smoothed  with  the  adz,  also,  the  boards 
of  the  roof  shall  be  fastened  on  with  nails.  Later  a  new 


STORES,   ETC.,    WEST   FRANKFORT 

Court  House  was  built  of  brick  on  top  of  the  hill.  Its 
size  was  about  twenty  by  thirty  feet.  This  was  used  until 
about  the  year  1840  when  the  south  half  of  Franklin 
County  was  cut  off  and  called  Williamson  County  and 
the  County  Seat  of  Franklin  County  was  moved  to 
Benton. 

The  natural  effect  of  this  loss  was  to  stop  the  growth 


58 


PROSPECTS  OF 


of  the  village  but  it  continued  to  hold  its  own  as  a  leading 
trading  point,  being  headquarters  for  the  sale  of  tobacco 
and  castor  beans,  which  became  the  leading  farm  products 
for  several  years.  The  farmers  began  to  raise  more  or  less 
wheat,  and  a  flour  mill  was  established.  The  town  moved 
along  in  a  quiet  way  until  the  year  1894,  when  the  Chicago, 
Paducah  and  Memphis  Railroad  was  built  from  St.  Elmo 


STORES,   ETC.,   WEST   FRANKFORT 

to  Marion,  passing  one  and  one-fourth  miles  to  the  west. 
Some  of  the  buildings  then  moved  over  to  the  railroad 
station  and  West  Frankfort  was  born.  It  grew  slowly, 
and  was  still  a  village  of  only  about  three  hundred  people 
until  the  first  mine  was  sunk  in  the  year  1903.  Since  then, 
its  growth  has  been  like  Jack's  Beanstalk. 

This  was  practically  the  beginning  of  the  mining  in- 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


59 


dustry  in  this  County,  and  it  seems  only  proper  that  the 
public  should  know  to  whom  the  honor  is  due  as  the 
pioneers  in  the  industry  that  has  made  West  Frankfort 
one  of  the  most  promising  cities  in  the  State  of  Illinois. 
The  promoters  of  this  first  industry  were  Judge  William 
H.  Hart  and  Hon.  Walter  W.  Williams,  still  residents  of 
Franklin  County,  and  still  active  in  promoting  its  in- 
terests. 

In  the  year  1904  this  mine  was  sold  to  the  Dering  Coal 
Company,  which  today  is  operating  two  fine  mines.  They 
have  7250  acres  of  coal  and  are  among  the  greatest  coal 
people  in  this  country,  having  such  selling  facilities  as 
to  work  almost  every  day  under  ordinary  conditions. 


STREET     SCENE,     WEST    FRANKFORT 

Their  first  mine,  No.  11,  has  a  daily  capacity  of  1800 
tons  and  employs  375  men.  Their  second  mine,  No.  18, 
has  a  capacity  of  2500  tons  and  will  employ  500  men. 
They  are  now  working  200  men  and  will  take  on  more 
just  as  fast  as  room  can  be  opened  up  for  them  to  work. 
These  mines  when  fully  completed,  will  both  have  me- 
chanical haulage,  re-screening  plants  and  bath  houses. 
Their  pay  roll  for  the  last  month  was  about  $30,000.00. 

The  plant  of  the  Ohio  Valley  Mining  Company,  or  "The 
South  Mine,"  is  one  of  the  finest  in  the  State.  The  equip- 


60 


PROSPECTS  OF 


ment  is  the  very  best,  all  of  their  buildings  being  either 
brick  or  cement  with  tile  roof.  They  have  sixteen  hundred 
acres  of  coal  and  will  have  a  capacity  of  3500  tons  per 
day  and  will  employ  at  least  500  men.  They  are  now  put- 
ting in  a  fine  washer.  They  use  electricity  altogether  for 
hauling  and  cutting.  Their  monthly  pay  roll  is  now 
about  $20,000.00  and  they  are  making  room  for  more  men 
all  the  time. 

The  West  Frankfort  Coal  Company,  or  "The  West 
Mine,"  have  at  present  about  700  acres  of  coal  and  are 
putting  in  a  mine  of  2500  ton  capacity  and  will  employ 


RESIDENCE  OF  J.    L.    SMITH,   WEST   FRANKFORT 

about  500  men  when  in  full  operation.  They  will  have 
both  the  C.  &  E.  I.  and  Burlington  connections  and  run 
every  day.  They  are  now  employing  about  40  men. 

The  Chicago,  Wilmington  &  Vermilion  Coal  Com- 
pany has  bought  7500  acres  of  coal,  lying  from  the  C.  &  E. 
I.  R.  R.  track  west  almost  to  the  Burlington,  four  miles 
away,  and  will  operate  the  entire  tract.  Their  Superin- 
tendent is  now  on  the  ground  and  is  getting  ready  the 
railroad  switches  from  both  railroads  and  will  soon  start 
the  sinking  of  one  of  the  largest  mines  in  the  country.  It 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


61 


will  have  a  capacity  of  4000  tons,  or  100  railroad  cars  per 
day,  and  will  employ  not  less  than  600  men  in  the  one 
mine,  and  they  will  sink  another  one  like  it  when  this 
one  is  well  under  operation. 

Mining  conditions  in  the  West  Frankfort  field  are  extra 
good  and  the  coal  of  a  very  fine  quality.  The  vein  is  about 
ten  feet  thick  at  a  depth  of  about  500  feet,  so  that  the 


KKSlDK.NC'i:    OK    .1.    M.    \V11.I.MOHK.    \VKST    FKASKFORT 
RESIDENCE     OF     \YM.     KELLEY,     WEST    FRANKFORT 

taking  out  of  the  coal  does  not  in  any  way  aft'cct  the  sur- 
face. 

One  of  the  best  industries  of  West  Frankfort  is  Rail- 
roading, the  C.  &  K.  I.  having  yards  and  a  roundhouse 
here,  and  at  the  present  lime  they  are  employing  about 
one  hundred  men  wilh  a  monthly  pay  roll  of  $10,00(1.00. 


62 


PROSPECTS  OF 


At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1912  the  population  of 
West  Frankfort  is  not  less  than  3500  happy  industrious 
people,  every  man  with  a  job.  It  has  a  good  public  school 
system,  with  competent  teachers  and  a  good  high  school 
course.  A  $25,000:00  school  building  is  just  being  com- 
pleted. It  has  five  churches  and  the  religious  and  moral 
condition  of  the  town  is  above  the  average.  It  has  two 


RESIDENCE   OF    D.    C.    CRAWFORD,    WEST    FRANKFORT 
RESIDENCE   OF    MRS.    G.    D.    DIMMICK,    WEST    FRANKFORT 

banks,  one  National  and  one  State,  both  in  prosperous 
condition.  It  has  one  of  the  best  Building  and  Loan  As- 
sociations of  its  age  in  Southern  Illinois.  It  has  also 
started  a  Postal  Savings  Bank. 

The  farming  industry,  which  was  neglected  somewhat 
when  men  first  learned  that  they  could  make  five  dollars 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  63 

per  day  digging  coal,  is  being  resumed  by  farmers  from 
choice,  and  the  lands  surrounding  West  Frankfort  are 
again  being  built  up.  The  farmers  are  prospering  be- 
cause of  the  market  right  at  their  door,  and  the  future 
prospects  are  still  brighter  for  the  farmer,  for  the  de- 
velopment which  is  being  made  in  the  coal  industry  will 
at  least  double  our  population  in  the  immediate  future, 
and  those  people  will  have  to  be  fed.  And  best  of  all, 
the  end  is  not  anywhere  near,  as  West  Frankfort  is  right 
in  the  midst  of  a  great  undeveloped  coal  field,  extending 
without  break  or  flaw  North  7  miles  to  Benton,  East  10 
miles  to  Thompsonville,  South  6  miles  to  Johnston  City, 
and  West  6  miles  to  Ziegler.^ 

Yet  a  few  years,  and  as  the  wheels  of  industry  move 
onward  in  the  march  of  progress,  when  one  stands  on 
the  crest  of  the  Old  Frankfort  hill,  to  his  ears  will  come, 
not  the  soft  lowing  of  kine  on  the  hillside,  but  the  dis- 
tant hum  of  factory,  workshop,  mill  and  mine,  while  his 
eyes  will  behold,  not  the  small  settlement  of  today,  but  a 
vast  city,  dotted  with  domes  and  spires,  and  throbbing 
and  pulsating  with  life,  activity  and  industry. 


PETER  WASTIER,  President  C.  W.  CRIM,  Cashier 

WEST  FRANKFORT   STATE  BANK 

Capital  and  Surplus,  $35,000.00 

Directors 

PETER  WASTIER  CHAS.  MILLER  J.  M.  SEYMOUR  W.  L.  ESTES 

A.  A.  BECKER  A.  H.  SKELTON  C. W.  CRIM 


L.  C.  DORRIS 
Furniture  and  Carpets 

New  Designs — Elegant  Styles 

Stock  carefully  selected  for  West  Frankfort  trade.          MAIN  STREET 


J.  L.  SMITH,  President  R.  P.  BLAKE,  Cashier  J.  M.  WILLMORE,  Vice-Presidenl 

FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 

Capital  and  Surplus,  $32,500 
West  Frankfort,  111. 


-DIRECTORS 


J.  L.   Smith,    Jesse  Dimond,   J.  M.  Willmore,   R.  P.  Blake,  Herman  Rea 


LARGEST   BUYERS  CHEAPEST   SELLERS 

Stotlar-Herrin  Lumber  Co. 


Next  to  Depot  WEST  FRANKFORT,  ILL. 

W.     B.     CRAWFORD     Dry   Goods,    Clothing,    Boots 

Dealer  in  an^  Shoes,  Notions,  Novelties, 

^.  Hardware,     Buggies,    Furni- 

General  Merchandise    ture>  GrocerieSi  Provi. 


Old    Frankfort,  Illinois 


sions,  etc. 


T.  A.  HENSON,        :       West  Frankfort,  Illinois 
Business  Interests 

Real  Estate  and  Rents  Undertaker  Farm  Implements 

High  Grade  Live  Stock  Insurance  Bakery 

D.  C.  CRAWFORD  Dealer  in  General  Merchandise 

Farming  Tools,  Buggies,  Wagons,  Harness, 
Dry  Goods,  Shoes,  Clothing  and  Groceries 

WEST   FRANKFORT,  ILLINOIS 

STOVES   and   RANGES,    BUILDERS'    HARDWARE  and 
MINERS'  SUPPLIES  at  the  RIGHT  PRICES 

A  Complete  Line  of 
Paints,  Oils,  and  Glass.   Also  Guns  and  Ammunition  of  All  Kinds 

J.  C.  SWOFFORD,  West  Frankfort,  111. 
C.  M.  WILLMORE 

DENTIST 

Bridge  Work  a  Specialty 

Pharis  Building,  WEST  FRANKFORT,  ILL. 

LUMBER  AND   BUILDING   SUPPLIES 

Everything  in  the  Building  Line.     If  we  don't  get 

your  business  we  both  lose  Money 

Highest   Grade,   Lowest  Prices 

E.  G.  SUMMERS  LUMBER  CO.,  West  Frankfort,  Illinois 

04 


Pnosi'Kr.is  oi    FHANKLIX  Corx'rv,  ILLINOIS 


65 


CHRISTOPHER,  A  NEW  ELDORADO 

ON  THE  15th  of  November,  1879,  the  first  engine  and 
train  arrived  at  Christopher  over  the  Belleville- 
Eldorado  &  DuQuoin  Railway,  now  an  important 
division  of  the   Illinois  Central.      Christopher  had   one 
store  and  a  few  scattered  houses,  but  the  people  were' 
ambitious  and  as  the  railroad  company  graciously  con- 
sented to  stop  on  its  occasional  trips  to  and  beyond  Chris- 
topher, the  citizens  donated  the  material  and  labor,  and 


RESIDENCES  IX  CHRISTOPHER 


built  the  first  depot.  The  station  was  named  "Christo- 
pher," in  honor  of  Christopher  Harrison,  the  father  of 
Drs.  F.  O.  and  S.  A.  Harrison.  Isham  Harrison,  brother 
of  Christopher  Harrison,  was  Supervisor  of  the  Township 
at  that  time. 

The  town  of  Christopher  made  little  progress  for  sev- 
eral years,  yet  was  an  important  trading  point  for  the 
farmers  in  that  section,  there  being  good  stock  yard  facili- 
ties, and  important  shipments  of  live  stock. 

Among  the  early  merchants  were  A.  Kirkpatrick,  Boli- 
ver  Pharis,  Hallowell  and  Allen  Jones,  and  H.  Shepherd, 
the  latter  still  in  business. 


66 


PROSPECTS  OF 


The  population  of  Christopher  in  January,  1906,  was 
about  300,  at  which  time,  the  Ziegler  District  Colliery  Com- 
pany began  their  operations  by  sinking  a  shaft,  after 
which  development  was  rapid.  Later  in  the  year  of  1906, 
the  coal  company  known  as  the  United  Coal  Mining  Com- 
pany began  work  on  their  shaft,  and  a  large  number  of 
houses  and  substantial  business  blocks  were  built  to  ac- 
commodate the  rapidly  increasing  population.  The  two 
mines,  now  in  operation,  employ  eight  hundred  men,  and 
pay  out  wages  in  excess  of  $90,000.00  per  month.  The 
shipments  aggregate  5,000  tons  per  day. 


RESIDENCE     OP     W.     WALKER,     CHRISTOPHER 

Christopher  now  has  a  population  approximating 
3500,  directly  traced  to  the  demands  and  influence  of 
these  two  coal  mines. 

Two  other  mines  are  under  way  to  completion,  and 
when  in  full  operation  will  undoubtedly  cause  Christo- 
pher's population  to  more  than  double,  as  each  mine  will 
have  the  same  capacity  of  production  as  both  the  present 
mines  now  have. 

There  still  remains  a  body  of  coal  of  some  5,000  acres 
in  the  immediate  proximity  of  Christopher,  which  is  being 
eagerly  sought  for  by  coal  operators.  The  5,000  acres 
mentioned  would  supply  the  output  of  at  least  five  first- 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


67 


class  plants,  hence  it  may  be  seen  that  Christopher  has 
an  enviable  future,  especially  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  body  of  coal  surrounding  the  city  is  of  the  finest 
quality  and  of  great  thickness;  the  great  abundance  of 
which  will  require  several  generations  of  production  to 
deplete. 

Christopher  is  well  laid  out  and  its  business  houses  and 


RESIDENCE    OF    JOHN    KNIGHT,    CHRISTOPHER 
RESIDENCE    OP    THEO.    HARRISON,    CHRISTOPHER 

residences  are  a  credit  to  any  town  of  its  size.  In  the 
business  district,  or  fire  zone,  brick  or  stone  construction 
only  is  allowed. 

Christopher  has  an  electric  light  system.  An  ice  plant 
is  planned  and  will  probably  be  in  operation  during  1912. 
The  concrete  walks  are  extensive  and  the  City  Park  is 


08 


PltOSI'KCTS    OF 


centrally  located  and  careful  attention  is  given  to  beauti- 
fying the  grounds. 

Christopher  is  growing  rapidly.  Numerous  imposing 
business  blocks  are  being  erected;  the  present  building 
operations  aggregate  one  hundred  and  fifty  houses  per 
year.  A  larger  percentage  of  wage  earners  own  their 
own  homes  at  Christopher  than  perhaps  in  any  other  city 


STORES,    ETC.,    CHRISTOPHER 
FIRST     NATIONAL     liAN'K.     CIIRISTOPHKK 

in  this  section — about  sixty  percent.  This  is  attributed 
to  a  prosperous  Building  and  Loan  Association,  and  the 
solidarity  and  public  spirit  practiced  by  its  citizens. 

The  business  men  of  Christopher  are  enterprising. 
There  is  a  healthy  and  active  Commercial  Men's  Business 
Club;  also,  a  Property  Owners'  Association;  both  of  which 


FRANKLIN  Coi  MY,  ILLINOIS 


69 


co-opera  to   with    the   City   officials  in   everything  that   is 
heneficial  to  the  City. 

The  stores  and  business  houses  of  Christopher  coin- 
pure'  favorably  with  those  of  any  other  city.  There  are 
five  department  stores,  two  jewelry,  three  hardware  and 
furniture  stores,  three  well  appointed  clothing  establish- 
ments, a  first  class  photographer,  and  numerous  other 
stores.  There  are  also  two  large  lumber  yards. 


STORES,     ETC.,     CHRISTOPHER 
\V.\I.KKK      A      SONS.     CHRISTOPHK.lt 

There  are  two  Hrsl-class  banks  in  Christopher;  the 
First  National,  capital  and  surplus  $35,000.00,  and  the 
Christopher  State  Hank,  with  a  capital  of  $35,000.00.  The 
Christopher  Building  and  Loan  Association  is  a  very 
thriving  institution.  The  Stale  Auditor's  Otlice  reports 


70 


PROSPECTS  OF 


that  this  is  the  best  earning  association  for  its  size  and  age 
in  the  State. 

There  are  two  divisions  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
here,  giving  local  service  between  Christopher  and  out- 
lying mines,  and  also  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy 
Railroad. 

The  City  Hall  is  a  substantial  brick  structure  and  there 
is  now  being  built  a  first  class  opera  house. 


R-HERRIN  LUMBERCO. 


STORE  OF  GUIDO  BIONE,    CHRISTOPHER 
STOTLAR- HEREIN    LUMBER   COMPANY,    CHRISTOPHER 

The  social  organizations  are  strong  and  well  attended. 
The  principal  organization  being  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  also  the 
Sisters  of  Rebecca,  who  have  a]  large  membership  and 
own  a  fully  equipped  hall.  The  Modern  Woodmen  have 
a  large  membership;  also,  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  The 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  71 

Christopher  Social  Club  has  an  important  influence  on 
the  social  life  of  tne  City. 

The  churches  are  represented  by  the  Christian  Church, 
which  has  a  large  Bible  Class  for  men,  perhaps  the  largest 
in  this  section,  and  the  Baptist,  which  has  also  a  large 
Sunday  School  attendance.  The  Methodist  and  Catholic 
Churches  are  both  well  attended;  and  upon  the  whole,  the 
church  life  of  Christopher  is  excellent. 

The  schools  of  Christopher  arc  well  above  the  average. 
A  large  modern  brick  structure  of  seven  rooms  has  just 
been  completed,  which  will  accommodate  more  than  four 
hundred  pupils.  There  is  a  smaller  building  with  an  at- 
tendance of  two  hundred  fifty,  and  a  new  one  planned  for 
the  coming  year  with  still  greater  capacity. 

Christopher  extends  a  hearty  welcome  to  business  men 
and  others  seeking  a  new  location,  and  its  citizens  will 
co-operate  with  any  new  enterprise  that  shows  merit. 

In  conclusion  we  want  to  press  upon  the  reader  the 
fact  that  the  CHRISTOPHER  of  today  is  practically  a 
growth  of  only  six  years,  and  that  two  modern  coal  min- 
ing companies  were  the  direct  influences  which  caused 
this  phenomenal  growth.  There  are  being  developed  two 
more  mines  of  much  larger  capacity  than  the  present 
mines,  and  these  additional  mines  will  assuredly  cause  to 
be  added  to  the  population  of  Christopher  more  than  5000 
people,  within  the  next  few  years. 


CHRISTOPHER   MILLING  CO. 

Manufacturers  of  "White  Plume"  and  "Apple  Blossom"  Flour, 

also  Fine  Meal 

Dealers  in  best  Hard  Wheat  Flour,  Feed  and  Hay 
Give  us  an  order  and  be  satisfied  CHRISTOPHER,  ILLINOIS 

J.   C.   SNIDER 

Christopher  ILLINOIS 

800  acres  of  VALUABLE  COAL  HOLDINGS  adjoining  Ziegler 
District  Colliers  Co.'s  plant.  Will  be  leased  to  responsible  opera- 
tors. Also  DESIRABLE  CITY  LOTS  in  Christopher,  Illinois. 

The   Stotlar-Herrin    Lumber    Co. 

(INCORPORATED  1901) 

LUMBER,   PLASTER,    PAINTS   AND   OILS 
and  BUILDER'S  HARDWARE 

Christopher        -----         Illinois 

FIRST    NATIONAL   BANK 

Christopher,  Illinois 
Capital,   Surplus   and   Undivided   Profits,   $38,750.00 

White  &  Brayfield 

GENERAL  MERCHANDISE.  DRY  GOODS  AND  NOTIONS 

Dependable  Dress  Goods,  Laces,  Hosiery,  Etc. 

Christopher         -  Illinois 

CHRISTOPHER    STORES   COMPANY 

Most  Complete  in  the  City 

Dry  Goods   and   Notions,    Shoes,   Groceries  and 
General    Merchandise 

D.  W.  DAVIS 

Dealer  in 

General   Merchandise 

Christopher,  Illinois 


NORTH   SIDE   HOTEL 

J.  B.   Swofford,   Prop. 
Christopher,  Illinois 


B.  F.  BRAYF1ELD,  M.  D. 

Physician  and  Surgeon 

Graduated    1892-LouisviIle.   Ky. 
Christopher,  -  Illinois 


F.    O.    HARRISON,   Physician 

and   I  treat   the  Eye, 
Ear,  Nose  and  Throat 

CHRISTOPHER       -  ILLINOIS 


JAMES   FLEMING 
Fire  and  Tornado  Insurance 

City  Property  for  Sale.     We    Sell   Wall   Paper  and    Paint 

CHRISTOPHER,  ILLINOIS 
Christopher  Electric  Light  Co. 

Lowest  Rates      Best  Service 
Christopher         -----          Illinois 

WALKER  &  SON 

Christopher Illinois 

Fine  Clothing  and  Gents  Furnishings 

TKe  most  Complete  Stock  in  Southern  Illinois 

tTl^«-i-v      R«-/"i4-U»£k«-o    Christopher's  Best  Barber  Shop 

F  ICJrU      DrOrilCrS    Luxurious  Furniture.      Capable  Operators 

Popular  Prices.      Give  us  a  Call 

GUIDO  BlONE 

GENERAL  STORE  CHRISTOPHER 

Groceries  and  Family  Supplies  a  Specialty 
Everything  First  Class  and  in  Large  Variety 

71} 


T.  P.  HARRISON,  Pres. 

D.  M.  PARKHILL,  Vice  Pres. 
H.  M.  REA,  Cashier 


Christopher   State  Bank 


Capital  Stock 

$3  5,OOO.OO 

DIRECTORS 

CHRISTOPHER        -         -         ILLINOIS 

T.  P.  Harrison       D.  M.  Parkhill 

Jesse  Dimond         Reuben  Teffertillar      

Thomas  Horn         C.  S.  Walker 

F.  L.  Dennis  H.  M.  Rea 

F.  G.  Rea  Herman  Leibster 


C.  D.  MACKEY,  Christopher 
General  Building  Contractor.     Best  Facilities 

E.  B.  DICK,  M.  D. 

Physician  and  Surgeon  Christopher 

T.  D.  Parkhill,  General  Mdse. 

Largest    Stock  Christopher  Best    Selection 


CRISTOPHER 
BUSINESS  MEN'S  CLUB 


This  club  numbers  among  its  members  prac- 
tically all  the  enterprising  business  men  of 
Christopher. 

Any  inquiries  relative  to  location  and  advan- 
tages offered  intending  residents  or  investors  will 
be  cheerfully  furnished  by  addressing 

C.  S.  WALKER,  President 

Business  Men's  Club. 


74 


PROSPECTS  OF  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  75 


HANAFORD 

UP  TO  1909,  this  town  was  called  Smothersville,  but 
was  re-named  in  honor  of  Mr.  John  P.  Hanaford, 
of  Rockford,  Illinois.  It  is  located  on  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  between  Benton  and  Thompsonville, 
and  is  nearly  in  the  center  of  the  finest  coal  belt  in  Illinois; 
the  coal  vein  being  from  eight  to  ten  feet  thick,  and  of 
very  superior  quality. 

The  town  of  Hanaford  is  one  of  the  most  beautifully 
situated  in  Franklin  County.  The  townsite,  while  com- 
paratively level,  is  just  right  for  building  purposes,  hav- 
ing perfect  drainage  in  every  direction.  This  is  a  very  im- 
portant item  to  any  one  looking  for  a  healthy  and  pleas- 
ant place  to  make  a  home.  Hanaford  is  situated  on  the 
highest  point  between  St.  Louis  and  Eldorado,  being  at 
an  elevation  of  about  five  hundred  feet  above  sea  level, 
which  insures  a  delightful  climate,  and  a  good  breeze 
in  the  warm  summer  days.  This  is  one  of  the  first  good 
things  the  stranger  notices  on  arriving  here. 

The  town  was  started  nearly  forty  years  ago,  with  the 
coming  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  From  that  time 
until  the  spring  of  1908,  there  was  no  development  other 
than  that  usual  to  a  small  country  town.  The  people 
had  faith  in  the  ultimate  future  of  the  region,  but  they 
never  dreamed  of  the  fabulous  wealth  underlying  every 
acre  to  justify  that  faith.  At  last  in  the  spring  of  1908, 
the  good  ship  of  prosperity,  called  "Carroll  and  Franklin 
Counties  Coal  Company,"  came  in.  This  Company  was 
organized  and  incorporated  through  the  efforts  of  Jesse 
Dimond  and  W.  H.  Marshall.  A  shaft  was  started  on 
May  20,  1908.  In  October  the  coal  vein  was  reached  at  a 
depth  of  692  feet,  and  the  first  car  of  coal  hoisted  on  De- 
cember 24  of  the  same  year. 

Since  that  time,  the  Carroll  and  Franklin  Counties 
Coal  Company  has  made  steady  progress,  being  at  pres- 
ent in  shape  to  mine  a  thousand  tons  per  day,  with  a 
hoisting  capacity  of  2500  tons  daily,  and  close  to  1000 
acres  of  coal  land  to  draw  from. 


70 


PHOSIMCCTS  OF 


Since  its  inception,  this  Company  has  been  fortunate 
in  having  no  serious  accidents,  and  in  making  no  ex- 
pensive mistakes.  Frank  Zinnel,  of  Savanna,  Illinois,  is 
the  President,  W.  H.  Marshall,  of  Chicago,  is  General 
Manager,  Eugene  Stevens,  of  Hanaford,  is  Superintend- 
ent, and  Alex  Beck,  of  Hanaford,  is  Secretary.  This 
Company  has  been  well  managed,  and  has  a  bright  future. 
The  excellent  preparation  and  quality  of  its  coal  is  be- 


KKSIDK.NCK    OF    A  I.KN  A  M)K15     P.I-X'K 


coming  well  known,  and  a  solid  and  lasting  business  is 
being  built  up  on  merit,  as  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  the 
trade  has  often  paid  a  premium  for  this  coal. 

The  population  of  Hanaford,  January  1,  1908,  was 
about  twenty.  On  January  1,  1912,  it  was  upwards  of  six 
hundred;  an  increase  of  3000  per  cent,  due  simply  and 
solely  to  the  operation  of  the  mine.  What  then  will  be 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


77 


the  future  of  Hanaford?  When  the  thousands  of  acres 
of  excellent  coal  land  surrounding  the  town,  are  devel- 
oped, when  from  every  direction  the  whistles  call  the 
miners  to  their  labors,  when  the  G.  &  E.  L,  and  the  C.  B. 
&  Q.  Railroads  are  here  and  competing  with  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  for  Hanaford  coal,  when  various  manu- 


HANAFORD   RESIDENCES 


facturing  industries  shall  have  been  established,  and 
building  operations  shall  have  kept  pace  with  the  growth 
of  population — who  can  foretell  the  future,  or  place  a 
limit  on  its  possibilities? 

Who  can  tell?  The  wildest  guess  might  be  far  below 
the  mark.  But  we  do  know  that  there  is  a  brilliant  future 
in  store  for  Hanaford,  as  well  as  for  every  other  town  in 
Franklin  County.  The  millions  of  buried  treasure  now 


78 


PROSPECTS  OF 


known  to  be  underneath  the  surface  is  bound  to  be 
brought  forth  in  the  near  future.  Nothing  can  stop  the 
tide  of  prosperity  now  flowing  into  Franklin  County,  for 
from  Maine  to  California,  the  people  are  insisting  that 
their  coal  be  from  the  Franklin  County  field,  and  coal 
operators  are  hastening  to  supply  their  demand. 


HANAFORD  STORE  CO. 
HEARD   &   SONS,   SUCCESSORS   TO   M.   R.   HOLCOMB   &   CO. 

THE  ILLINOIS  POULTRY  PRODUCTS  COMPANY  is  operating 
and  locating  its  initial  colony  at  Hanaford,  planning  to 
equip  a  large  number  of  tracts  with  all  the  modern  im- 
provements demanded  for  the  successful  incubation  and 
production  of  chickens,  eggs  and  other  products  incident 
to  the  business  of  poultry  raising. 

These  tracts  will  have  attractive  bungalows  and 
grounds  tastefully  arranged  with  fruit  trees  and  shrub- 
bery. 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


79 


An  incubating  plant  is  to  be  built  on  the  most  modern 
lines  and  will  have  a  monthly  capacity  of  many  thousand 
eggs. 

A  complete  refrigerating  plant  has  been  built  at  Hana- 
ford  with  every  facility  for  the  storage  of  dressed  poultry 
and  will  be  operated  on  a  large  scale.  In  connection  with 
this  plant  there  is  every  appliance  necessary  to  prepare 
poultry  and  eggs  for  shipment. 


Now  is  the  time  to  come  to  Hanaford,  while  property 
is  low  and  you  can  get  in  on  the  ground  floor.  Hanaford 
will  undoubtedly  be  a  city  of  homes,  owing  to  its  desirable 
location  and  healthy  climate,  and  a  city  of  business  owing 
to  its  location  in  the  greatest  coal  field  on  the  continent. 


ALEXANDER  BECK 

HANAFORD,  ILL. 

Lumber  and  Building  Supplies 


HEARD  &  SONS,      General  Merchandise     HANAFORD,  ILL. 
A  Complete  Stock  of  Dry  Goods,   Cloth- 
ing,    Hardware,     Boots     and     Shoes,     &c. 


J.  R.  NEUNLIST,  Merchant 

Dry  Goods,  Boots  and  Shoes,  and  a  Complete 

General  Stock  of  Merchandise 
WE  SOLICIT   YOUR  CUSTOM  HANAFORD,   ILL. 


DR.  H.  B.  CATRON 

PHYSICIAN  and  SURGEON 
HANAFORD  -  ILLINOIS 


80 


PROSPECTS  OF 


THOMPSOXVILLE 

WHAT  is  now  Thompsonville,  thirty-three  years  ago 
was  a  small  country  store,  conducted  by  Richard 
Thompson,    for    whom    the    town    was    named. 
There  was  then  no  railroad  nearer  than  DuQuoin,  Illi- 
nois.    In  the  year  1878,  the  Cairo  Short  Line  was  built 
from  Eldorado   to   DuQuoin,  and   the  town  of  Thomp- 
sonville was  laid  out.    It  has  been  growing  steadily  ever 
since.    Thompsonville  has  a  number  of  good  brick  busi- 
ness blocks  and  all  branches  of  business  are  well  repre- 
sented; among  which  are  two  big  lumber  yards,  four  dry 


RESIDENCE    OF    C.    M.    HUDGINS, 
THOMPSONVILLE 


RESIDENCE   OF  JUDSON   PUCKETT, 
THOMPSONVILLE 


good  stores,  a  good  hotel,  a  wholesale  produce  house  and 
a  State  Bank.  The  Bank  is  now  putting  up  a  handsome 
new  brick  building.  There  are  four  passenger  trains  and 
two  local  freights  a  day  on  the  Illinois  Central.  The  town 
of  Thompsonville  is  surrounded  by  good  farming  country, 
and  as  a  rule,  the  farmers  own  their  own  land  and  are 
prosperous  and  happy.  There  are  no  colored  or  foreign 
people  in  Thompsonville,  and  no  saloons  or  "bootleggers." 
The  population  in  1900  was  387,  while  in  1910,  it  was 
675.  The  land  surrounding  Thompsonville  is  underlaid 
with  as  good  a  vein  of  coal  as  there  is  in  the  State,  being 
from  six  to  eight  feet  thick.  The  Franklin  County  Car- 
bon, Coal  and  Coke  Company  owns  about  1500  acres  of 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


81 


mineral  rights  just  outside  of  Thompsonville,  and  now 
has  an  unfinished  shaft,  which,  when  completed,  will  in- 
crease the  value  of  mineral  land  in  this  neighborhood, 
and  start  a  general  building  and  business  boom  in  the 
town.  Thompsonville  and  its  vicinity  have  felt  the  bene- 
fits of  the  general  development  throughout  the  County. 


RESIDENCE   OF   M.   HEARD,   THOMPSONVILLE 
RESIDENCE   OF    HURT    L.    CASTEEL,    THOMPSONVILLE 

Fifteen  years  ago,  land  sold  here  at  an  average  price  of 
from  $10.00  to  $15.00  per  acre  while  today,  the  same 
land  sells  at  from  $50.00  to  $75.00  per  acre  and  is  still 
steadily  advancing.  The  country  surrounding  Thompson- 
ville is  very  well  adapted  for  stock  raising  and  fruit  grow- 
ing. More  live  stock  is  shipped  from  Thompsonville  than 
from  any  other  point  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  be- 


82 


PROSPECTS  OF 


tween  Eldorado  and  St.  Louis,  and  the  receipts  of  incom- 
ing freight  compare  favorably  with  any  point  on  the 
line. 


W.  L.JOHNSON,  Pres. 

M.  HEARD,  V.  Pres. 


B.  L.  CASTEEL,  Cashier 

L.  B.  HEARD,  Asst.  Cashier 


THOMPSONVILLE  STATE  BANK 

Capital  Stock  $25,000.     Surplus  $35,000 

DIRECTORS:     Robt.  Ward,  Dr.  W.  L.  Johnson,  Dr.  I).  L.  Carter,  B.  L.  Casteel. 
Andrew  Summers,  H.  A.  Burns,  M.  Heard,  A.  J.  Puckett,  J,  R.  Gaithers 


J.  J.  BUNDY    Drugs  and  Drug  Sundries 
The  Most  Complete  Drug  Store  in  the  County 


Prescriptions  Carefully  Compounded 


Thompsonville,  Illinois 


W.  L.  JOHNSON,  M,  D.,  Thompsonville 
Physician  and  Surgeon 


T.  C.  PUCKETT  &  COMPANY,  Thompsonville 

Lumber  and  Building  Material.       Paints    and  Builders'  Hardware 

Real  Estate  Bought  and  Sold 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS  83 


SESSER 

SESSER  is  a  new  town  of  great  opportunities  located 
on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Railroad, 
thirty-two  miles  from  Centralia,  twelve  miles  from 
Benton  and  sixteen  miles  from  DuQuoin. 

In  1906,  the  site  where  Sesser  is  located  was  a  farm. 
Today  (1912),  it  is  a  thriving  city  of  from  2200  to  2500  in- 
habitants, with  great  prospects  for  further  development. 

Located  in  the  midst  of  the  best  Franklin  County  coal 
fields,  the  territory  surrounding  it  offers  the  mining  in- 
dustry one  of  the  best  possible  fields  for  development. 

Sesser  is  in  the  heart  of  a  good  farming  region  and 
has  natural  advantages  for  the  building  of  a  good  com- 
mercial center. 

Here  is  also  one  of  the  best  coal  mines  in  the  country, 
owned  and  operated  by  the  Franklin  County  Collieries 
Company,  giving  employment  to  about  four  hundred  and 
fifty  men  and  carrying  a  payroll  of  about  $30,000.00  per 
month.  This,  together  with  the  great  farming  community 
to  rely  upon,  gives  Sesser  merchants  the  assurance  of  a 
liberal  and  steady  trade. 

Sesser  has  had  (unlike  many  new  towns)  a  steady 
growth,  and  there  has  never  been  a  time  when  more  im- 
provements were  in  sight  than  there  is  now  in  1912.  The 
year  1912  found  Sesser  preparing  to  build  five  new  brick 
business  houses,  many  residences,  more  sidewalk,  an  elec- 
tric light  plant  and  another  school. 

The  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  has  al- 
ready made  survey  for  a  direct  St.  Louis  route  from  its 
Southern  Illinois  line,  connecting  it  with  Sesser.  When 
the  railroad  is  built,  it  will  add  a  new  stimulus  to  the 
growth  of  this  town,  which  combined  with  the  develop- 
ment of  a  new  mine,  now  contemplated,  will  be  certain  to 
double  the  present  population  of  Sesser. 

In  1906— a  farm;  in  1912— a  city!  Verily,  here  in  the 
coal  field  of  Southern  Illinois,  romance  has  become 
reality-  Aladdin's  Lamp  fact,  and  not  fable. 


PROSPECTS  OF 


FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


85 


EWING 

THE   town   of  Ewing,   Illinois,   is   among   the   oldest 
settlements  in  the  County,  having  been  founded 
in  1874.     It  is  located  about  nine  miles  northeast 
of  Benton,  and  has  a  population  of  six  hundred.    The  coal 
iields  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  Ewing  have  not 
as  yet  been  opened  up  and  the  rapid  development  of  the 
town  as  an  industrial  center  is  still  in  the  future.    There 
are  several  prosperous  business  establishments,   among 
the  most  prominent  of  which  is  the  Ewing  Bank  of  Wat- 


WILL'ARD    HALL 

son,  Fitzgerrell  &  Company,  which  was  established  in 
1903.  Its  stockholders  are  among  the  wealthiest  and  most 
influential  men  of  Franklin  and  Jefferson  Counties. 

The  country  around  Ewing  has  been  thoroughly  pros- 
pected and  is  underlaid  with  a  vein  of  coal  averaging  nine 
feet  or  more  in  thickness.  It  is  only  a  question  of  a  short 
time  until  the  country-wide  demand  for  Franklin  County 
coal  will  cause  Ewing  to  become  a  mine  center. 

EWING  COLLEGE 

The  greatest  boast  of  Ewing  and  one  of  the  features 
of  Franklin  County  is  Ewing  College.  Ewing  College  was 
founded  in  1870  by  John  Washburn,  D.  D.,  and  has  grown 


86 


PROSPECTS  OF  FRANKLIN  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS 


from  a  comparatively  small  beginning  until  today  its 
properties  are  estimated  to  be  worth  $100,000.00.  The  first 
trustees  of  the  Institution  were  John  W.  Hill,  Elijah  T. 
Webb,  William  A.  King,  Robert  R.  Link  and  Richard  H. 
Richeson;  all  of  whom  are  deceased,  except  William  A. 
King,  who  still  resides  in  Ewing,  and  who  is  one  of  the 
best  known  and  most  respected  men  in  the  community. 
Ewing  College  is  located  at  the  geographical  center  of 
Southern  Illinois.  The  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
road runs  within  a  couple  of  miles  of  the  College,  giving 
Ewing  and  Ewing  College  all  the  advantages  of  a  railroad 


40*     / 

& 

K 


& 


CARNEGIE  LIBRARY,   EWING,  ILLINOIS 

town,  without  its  disadvantages.  The  college  is  located 
in  a  small  town,  which  is  an  additional  argument  in  its 
favor.  When  character  is  the  chief  aim  of  education,  it  is 
decidedly  an  advantage  that  young  people  should  be  sent, 
not  to  a  large  city,  where  there  are  the  greatest  possible 
number  of  distractions,  but  to  a  small  place  where  the 
temptations  and  vices  incident  to  larger  cities  are  lacking. 
Proof  of  the  soundness  of  this  theory  lies  in  the  fact  that 
many  prominent  men,  of  great  ability  and  strong  char- 
acter, now  scattered  throughout  the  United  States,  re- 
ceived their  early  education  at  Ewing  College.  The  col- 
lege has  a  magnificent  Carnegie  Library  in  connection, 
and  has  a  large  and  able  faculty. 


THE   EWING   BANK 

OF  WATSON,  FITZGERRELL   &  CO. 


ALBERT  WATSON,  President 
J.  J.  PEARCE,  Vice-President 
J.   D.   FITZGERRELL,  Cashier 


EWING,  ILL. 


EWING   BANK 


BENTON   HOMES 
87 


was  made  possible  by  the  subscription  of  the  public- 
spirited  citizens  of  Franklin  County,  and  it  is  hoped  and 
earnestly  requested  that  the  business  men  whose  ad- 
vertisements appear  in  the  volume  be  given  due  con- 
sideration. 

Usually,  the  greatest  expense  in  the  publication  of  a 
book  of  this  character  is  the  cost  of  securing  subscrip- 
tions and  the  editorial  work,  all  of  which  valuable  service 
has  been  cheerfully  donated,  thus  exemplifying  the  liber- 
ality and  progress}  of  the  people  of  Franklin  County. 

I          J.  E.  MYERS, 

MOSES    PULVERMAN, 

A.  E.  MARTIN, 
Publication  Committee, 
Benton  Commercial  Club. 


EDITORIAL  CONTRIBUTORS 


Q.   E.   BROWNING Benton,  Illinois 

WALTER   W.    WILLIAMS Benton,  Illinois 

JUDGE  W.  H.  WILLIAMS Benton,  Illinois 

H.  C.  BEACH Christopher,  Illinois 

D.  C.  JONES West   Frankfort,   Illinois 

ALEXANDER  BECK Hanaford,  Illinois 

. 

W.   B.   HEARD ....'. Thompsonville,  Illinois 

D.  G.  FITZGERRELI v .  .  .  .Ewing,  Illinois 

JOHN  E.  MYERS .Benton,  Illinois 

REV.  T.  F.  HALL ', Benton,  Illinois 

A.  H.  McQuiLKiN,  Editor  Inland  Printer Chicago,  Illinois 


HAMMOND    PRESS     W     B     CONKEY    COMPANY 


x-^          TRADE  f^  MARK 

SANI  STOVE 

Rear.  U.  S.  Pat.  Office 

PORCELAIN    ENAMELED 

GAS,  COAL  AND  COMBINATION 

GAS  AND  COAL  RANGES 

ARE  SANITARY 

And  the  Most  Perfect  in  the  World 


Sanl  Stoves  are  Built  to  last 
a  Lifetime 


The  High  Grade  Quality  of  Material  and  Workmanship  can  only  be 
appreciated  when  you  see  the  Range 

Manufactured  only  by 

THE  SANITARY  STOVE  MANUFACTURING  CO. 

BENTON,    ILLINOIS 


